


Eternity

by angeldevastation



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean Lance (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Blood and Injury, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Galra Keith (Voltron), Haggar and Honerva are Separate People, M/M, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Past Rape/Non-con, Reincarnation, Slow Burn, Slow Burn Keith/Lance (Voltron), Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:55:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 26
Words: 180,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23932642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angeldevastation/pseuds/angeldevastation
Summary: It must have been a mistake. There was no way he could be soulmates with someone who had already met theirs, right? Lance knew he wouldn't get his happily ever after, not while they were fighting a war against an alien dictator. Still, he could hope, right?
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 253





	1. Been Dreaming of This Since a Child

When Lance had woken up that morning, he did not expect his life to change so drastically. After failing the modulator sequence, getting yelled at by Iverson, and sneaking out of the barracks to find a way to bond with Pidge and Hunk, he thought he was simply having a more adventurous day than most others. Okay, it wasn’t that adventurous. Lance used to sneak out all the time. But then Pidge started talking about aliens and something called Voltron. Lance felt like he had heard the name somewhere in his dreams, maybe? Then an alien ship crashed near the Garrison. Pidge hacked the feed for the quarantine room for them to see it was Shiro who had crashed. Lance knew they had to save him; something told him he didn’t deserve to be restrained like that. As if he were some criminal who was about to be interrogated.

“We need a distraction. There are too many people over there for us to sneak in.” Lance was trying to come up with a plan. He knew that once the coast was clear, he could get in there and get Shiro out pretty fast. The problem then was where they would go afterward?

“You know I remember seeing dynamite in one of the storage sheds we investigated.” Hunk pitched in as he leaned over to get a look through the night vision goggles Pidge had.

There was also a hoverbike in there. We can use that to escape to uh...somewhere?” Pidge offered next. “Hunk and I can get that and set the dynamite off while you get in and grab Shiro. Just figure out where we’re going next.”

Hunk tried to protest as Pidge pulled him away from Lance. Pidge hushed the larger man as they walked down the stairs back into the building so they could sneak out. Lance decided that scaling the building made more sense than trying to sneak through the dorms and get past whoever was guarding the area only feet away from him. Pidge and Hunk could go out the back, but Lance wouldn’t be able to if he was going to make it to Shiro in time.

The explosion shook the ground below him as Lance entered the quarantine room. The doctors inside were surprised to see him Lance used that to catch them all off-guard with swift punches and a kick. He was running on pure instinct as he released Shiro from the restraints and pulled him so that he was supporting most of his weight on his back and shoulder. Thankfully, Pidge and Hunk had come through for him and were waiting behind a boulder for him. He placed Shiro on it as quickly as he could and had Hunk and Pidge both hold Shiro while he drove them away.

Lance drove through most of the night. He wasn’t exactly sure where he was going, but something was calling him out to the middle of the desert. He didn’t stop until the hoverbike ran out of gas. By then, morning had broke and Shiro was awake.

“Where are we, Lance?” Pidge asked with a yawn. He hadn’t even realized that Pidge and Hunk hadn’t slept yet; of course they would be tired.

“I uh...something called me out here. I don’t know where we are exactly.” Lance glanced back at the three behind him. All of them were confused. Lance couldn’t blame them. He didn’t even know how to describe what the feeling was like.

“Let’s take some time to sleep and figure out our next move. First things first, I should thank you all for getting me out of that facility, but I don’t know who you are. Can I get names to put to faces?” Shiro was the first to talk. He held his hand out to Lance. “I’m Takashi Shirogane, but please just call me Shiro.”

“I’m Lance McClain. That’s Pidge Gunderson and Hunk Garrett. I’m glad we were out there to help you instead of being in the dorms like we were supposed to be. You can thank Pidge for that. He also caused the distraction I needed.” Lance replied, shaking Shiro’s hand firmly.

“Hunk was the one who set everything up and drove the bike out to you guys. I just detonated the dynamite.” Pidge added though their voice was softer and less annoying than Lance expected.

“Right, well, thank you all, anyways.” Shiro dropped his hand to his side again. “How long have I been gone?”

“Nearly a year. The Kerberos mission was declared a failure when they could no longer contact the team. They blamed it on pilot error.” Pidge sounded more than bitter at that. As if they knew something that the rest of them didn’t.

“It definitely wasn’t pilot error. We were ambushed while getting ice samples. The aliens were looking for something called Voltron. We need to find it before they do.” The name Voltron sent Lance back to his dreams. It was the second time he heard the term, and something seemed to click with him.

“We should rest. We’ve been up all night. Then we can look for this...Voltron.” Lance decided as he went to find some shade to sleep in. The other three followed him. Lance passed out as soon as he got comfortable.

_“Father has finished working on his new project. He said he wants to show us before he shows the others in the alliance.” Allura summoned Lancel from the training room where he had been practicing his studies. Keith had yet to return from his own planet, and the Prince found himself to be quite bored without the Galran Prince around. Ending the simulation, Lancel followed his elder sister down to the Hangars that were hidden from almost everyone else. As far as he knew, his father had been working on new space crafts for nearly five decaphoebs without allowing anyone to help him. He could understand not trusting anyone, but to not allow Coran to help him was strange for his father._

_The first time he laid eyes on the ships, Lancel’s breath was taken away. They were beautiful. He could only imagine going on a flight in one of them._

_“These are the Voltron Lions. I made them out of the ore from the comet that hit Daibazaal six decaphoebs ago. I’m still working out what all they can do, but I do know when they come together, they form a robot called Voltron.” King Alfor continued to talk, but Lancel struggled to pay attention. The beauty of them enamored him._

Lance nearly jolted awake as his dream came to an abrupt end. The calling grew stronger as Lance woke up. The sun was high in the sky now, telling him it was around noon. Good. They hadn’t slept that late. Hunk was already awake and standing, staring off into the distance as if he were contemplating something.

“What’s up, Hunk?” Lance yawned as he also stood up and walked to join his friend. He couldn’t see anything but rock formations and caves for miles.

“That calling you were talking about; I feel it too. I’ve never felt anything like it before.” Shiro and Pidge were awake now and standing behind the two.

“Maybe that means we should go to it. Who knows what we’ll find.” Shiro made the suggestion, and since Hunk also had the same feeling, he couldn’t disagree. He grumbled the entire time, but the other three didn’t pay him any attention. Lance had an impression at the end of their journey they would find a part of Voltron. Or a clue. Something, maybe.

They walked for what seemed like hours before reaching a series of cave systems. Lance didn’t wait for Hunk to point where they needed to go, but the engineer was right behind him the entire time. Inside the cave were what looked like drawings etched into the stone.

Hunk brushed some dirt off of one of the etchings to get a better look at it. Suddenly the entire cave was lit up with a strange yellow glow. They pointed them further down into the cave. Hunk was already following them as Pidge yelled behind him to wait for the rest of them. Lance caught up to Hunk relatively quickly, and he forced Hunk to wait until Pidge and Shiro caught up to them.

The next step Hunk took caused the floor to cave in. All four fell into a lower cavern. Lance was surprised he could see so well until he looked up to see a large mechanical yellow lion with some sort of forcefield? - that’s what it looked like at least - around it.

“Is this Voltron?” Hunk asked as he placed his hand on the forcefield. It went down immediately before images seemed to flutter into his mind. The lions, the actual Voltron, and a face Lance had only seen in his nightmares. Nothing was making sense to Lance, and he was coming up with more questions than answers.

“Everyone saw that, right?” Hunk asked, shocked, his hand was still hanging in the air where he had put it against the forcefield. There were confirmations from each of them as Lance came to stand next to Hunk.

“This is a part of Voltron,” Lance stated, his eyes wide open as he stared at the Lion before him. As if to confirm Lance’s statement, the mouth of the Lion opened up, and a ramp slid out. Hunk was the one to take the lead as he walked inside. It was like he was in a trance. He had to be; otherwise, Hunk would have run the other way. Inside was a cockpit with so many controls, and two handles Lance felt he had seen before. Maybe in one of his dreams?

A chair popped up from the floor directly under Hunk while the ramp folded back in. The mouth shut with an audible snap, and Lance knew they were trapped. Hunk looked up at Shiro. His expression revealed either fright or nerves. Lance wasn’t sure which.

“Uh, maybe someone else should pilot? I’m not a pilot at all.” There was a low hum that Lance couldn’t make out, but Hunk seemed to understand. Shiro put a calming, steady hand on Hunk’s shoulder.

“I think the Lion wants you to pilot. Don’t worry, Lance and I are here to help.” Shiro had meant to calm Hunk, but the mention of Lance piloting made him lose color in his face.

“Don’t worry Hunk, just do your best.” Lance tried to reassure Hunk, but he could understand the worry. Hunk was an engineer, not a pilot. Lance himself wasn’t even that good at it either. Hunk gripped at the controls as if that would save him from death as the Lion took off.

_Smoke and ash filled his lungs as Keith rushed across the bridge to reach his beloved. He hadn’t made it on time before his father began his attack; it had been his fault for being away from Altea to gather gifts for his courting ceremony with Lancel - one that wasn’t going to happen now. It had been a beautiful decaphoeb spent with his beloved Lancel, sharing their knowledge, skills, and customs with one another before they had decided to take the first step towards a union._

_Altea’s city was on fire with many Alteans wounded and many more dead. The smell of blood was clouded by the smell of the fire and charred skin. Large ominous battleships loomed in the skies above, shining a brilliant purple through the smoke and fire as if they were a beacon of hope. Keith knew that it was the very opposite. They were the bringers of destruction._

_If he could just reach Lancel before his father touched down, he may be able to see him one last time...before they died. He had lost hope the moment he heard his father’s announcement on a war against Altea, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to fight for as long as he could._

_It hadn’t been Altea’s fault that Daibazaal was gone. Keith believed King Alfor when he stated he hadn’t destroyed the planet, and his father hadn’t even been near the home base of the Empire when it happened. The royal family had been off-planet and on their way to a different part of the Empire, showing off the newly born son of the emperor. Keith should have been with them. Instead, he was preparing for his courting ceremony instead. Was that why his father had been so quick to blame Altea? Was his father upset because Keith had chosen the Altean Prince rather than his younger brother? Keith shook the thought from his head. He would most likely die on Altea so he would at least like to die next to his beloved._

_Parts of the bridge were crumbling at the edge, and Keith could only hope it would hold out long enough for him to get across. He needed to see Lancel. To tell him he loved him. To tell him he had no idea this was going to happen to them. To apologize for being away when the attack had begun. Keith just needed to see his beloved._

_“Keith!” The Princess’s angry voice made him stop in his tracks. Allura stood at the bottom of the steps of the Castle. Her face was twisted with rage for the first time since Keith met her. The white ivory he had come to love was stained with blood and soot. There was a sinking feeling in his gut as his eyes scanned the front of the Castle._

_“Where’s Lancel?” He could see Coran at the top of the stairs, but no one else around them. The Castle looked empty even from where Keith stood._

_“We put him in a healing pod. Emperor Zarkon is already here. He-” Allura paused as she stared at the Galran in front of her. She had assumed that Keith was there to fight on his father’s side, but if that were the case, Keith would have known that his father had stabbed her brother just vargas ago. “Zarkon cut him down while he was trying to help the advisors escape to safety. Lancel is dying, and he may not last much longer.”_

_Keith fell to his knees, crying in agony. No. He couldn’t be too late. He knew he would die on Altea but had just wanted to see Lancel before then. Tears ran down his cheeks as he slammed his fists against the ground in agony. A gentle touch on his shoulder stilled him._

_“Come, let’s go see my brother.” Allura had moved to his side. The rage in her expression had simmered. She helped the Galran Prince up to his feet and guided him up the stairs. His reaction told her everything she needed to know about his involvement in the attack. Keith was so in love with her brother that he wouldn’t have willingly participated in whatever his father had planned. “He isn’t dead yet, and if we can keep the Castle safe long enough, he may actually heal.”_

_The twists and turns of the castle were familiar to Keith now after he had spent nearly a decaphoeb exploring it with Lancel. However, it still felt like he was lost as he followed Coran and Allura to the infirmary where his lover rested in one of the pods. Keith broke away from Allura’s hold and rushed to the front of the pod where he could see Lancel. The Altean Prince was covered in blood, staining his satin robes, and his stomach wrapped in bandages that were no longer the pristine white they should have been. His vitals were shown on the screen next to the pod. They were grim. Lancel was closer to death than even Allura and Coran had thought. He wasn’t going to come out of the pod alive, and Keith felt the little hope he had left die as he stared at Lancel._

_“He isn’t going to make it through this battle. Where is my father?” Keith had never hated his father more than he did at that moment. He had never been fond of his father or the things he did, but now he had crossed a line Keith couldn’t forgive. He had harmed his lover after waging war on an ally planet._

_“He was in the city last I heard. My father went after him already.” Keith stood up and pressed his hand against the glass for a tick or two. Then he turned to leave the room in search of his father. “Please, Keith, stay here with Lancel. Father has already hidden the Lions. He’s fighting with your father now. Just stay with Lancel until he heals.”_

_“Princess, I’m sorry. Lancel is almost dead as it is. I...My father did this. He deserved to pay for it.” Keith hadn’t known he could cry so much, but as he watched Allura cry while pleading with him, he felt more tears fall from his eyes. This wasn’t the future he had imagined._

_“And he will. King Alfor will make sure of it. Lancel needs you now.” Coran’s voice made Keith sigh. He slumped against the glass of the pod. “King Alfor has asked us to ready the ship for liftoff. Please, stay with Lancel while we prepare our escape.”_

_Keith didn’t respond as he watched the adviser and Princess leave the room. He looked up at the Prince on the other side of the glass. Though he couldn’t see it under the layers of fabric, he knew precisely where the mating mark he had left on Lancel’s shoulder blade, and he felt his own burn as Lancel’s vitals went silent and his love died of his wounds. “I love you, Lancel. To my dying breath.”_

_Standing from his position, Keith was surprised to see King Alfor standing behind him. His armor was covered in blood and soot, and his expression revealed how angry he was._

_“My son believed in you until the very end, but I cannot say the same. You have nerves to come here as if you didn’t know what your father was planning.” Keith didn’t move as Alfor approached him. “I should have never trusted the Galra.”_

_Keith felt the sharp pain of a blade slicing through his flesh before he even realized what was going on. His blood soaked through his armor and clothing, sticking the material to his body as he struggled to breathe. He sunk back to his knees and tried to press his hand against his wound to slow the bleeding. There was no point; Alfor had cut him deep in the small sliver between his chest plate and shoulder where he had no armor._

_“You will die here, next to the one you betrayed.” Alfor left the room just as quickly as he came, and Keith forced himself to the panel that would open Lancel’s pod. It took everything he had not to succumb to his own injuries, but he pulled his beloved out of the pod and carried his dead body out of the Castle and to the meadow of flowers where they had first met. He collapsed in a heap in the flowers, Lancel on top of him, and a trail of blood leading straight to them._

Something woke him from the dream. A presence in the back of his mind, as if someone was calling out to him. He recognized the feeling - he’d had the same one when King Alfor showed off the Voltron Lions for the first time - but he didn’t know why any of them would have reached out to him.

The cold of his cell seeped through his clothes and into his bones. The sweat that clung his clothes to his body was a result of his own mind. The dream felt so surreal, but it wasn’t really a dream. Keith remembered everything from that day. From the tick he had met Lancel through the decaphoeb they had spent together. He had found his soulmate and was close to mating with him before the war began. Unfortunately, it ended horribly for them both. Lancel was dead, and Keith was held prisoner by his father’s commanders.

There was a shuffle of footsteps that stopped in front of his cell. Keith was kept alone and away from the other prisoners. Sendak said it was to keep him from trying to organize an escape, something he had done ten decaphoebs ago while he was on a different ship. These footsteps seemed quieter than the normal ones of Lieutenant Haxus, who was the main soldier Keith dealt with.

“One of the Lions has been found. The blue one, if I’m not mistaken. Commander Sendak has it here on this ship.” The voice was one he was familiar with. Krolia had wanted nothing to do with Keith when he first arrived. However, he wasn’t sure why she often accompanied Haxus when he came to collect Keith anytime Sendak tried to torture him more, but after the fourth time of cleaning the mess Sendak made of him, Krolia had asked him questions. That led to him expressing how much he opposed the war and his desire to fight back against his father. They had come to an agreement. Keith wouldn’t say anything to Sendak about Krolia being a spy if Krolia fed him information. It would be up to him to escape, but if he continued to get information from Krolia, he believed he could do it.

“Is that what all the excitement was about?” Keith asked though he knew that was the only thing it could have been. Sendak had already conquered the largest planets in the galaxy. He held many arena matches with those he captured just to watch them die by his gladiator. Keith remembered when the gladiator was beaten by some race that was mostly unknown to the universe. The thought nearly made Keith happy. Death shouldn’t make anyone happy.

“It was. Commander Sendak is taking us to Arus. Apparently, that’s where the Black and Yellow lions are currently.” That was news to Keith. His father had been searching for the Voltron Lions for nearly ten thousand decaphoebs already, but he hadn’t been able to find any of them until now. First, the Blue Lion and then the Yellow and Black Lions revealed themselves. Something wasn’t right. Or...maybe Keith could hope that the Lions chose new Paladins. Was that why the Lion on board had called out to him?

The door opened, revealing the tall woman. Her gaze was stone hard from years of war. Her expression proved to Keith that she had either come to care for him or was sympathetic to what he had to put up with. “Commander Sendak also wants you on the bridge now.”

Keith had no choice but to follow the order. The less he argued with Sendak, the fewer wounds he would receive.

There was a certain thrill in taking off in a ship that Shiro couldn’t describe. That thrill died down as they left the Earth’s atmosphere and came up to a ship Shiro recognized. He had seen the same ship when he and his team were ambushed. Or at least he thought it was the same ship.

Lasers shot at them. Hunk maneuvered them out of the way quicker than Shiro could think. They were flying so fast that Shiro would have missed it had they not slowed down near Kerberos. It had taken him months to get there with his team, yet they had arrived within seconds. What sort of alien warship were they in?

“Uh...guys? Are we at the edge of the solar system?” Hunk asked as he looked around at what was near him. It wasn’t much more than Kerberos and some asteroids. Asteroids that Shiro didn’t remember being there when he had flown to Kerberos the first time.

“It looks like. We got out here faster than any of our ships could have managed.” Pidge answered, leaning closer to Hunk so they could get a better look at the moon. Something bright appeared in front of them. Lance sucked in a breath at the sight.

“Not to be the bearer of bad news, but what is that?” Hunk asked, pointing to it. Lance somehow knew it was a wormhole, but he had no idea where the information came from. Another low hum came from around them.

“It sounds like the lion wants to go through it.” Hunk said nervously. He turned to Shiro, as did Lance and Pidge.

“Shiro? You’re the senior officer here. What should we do?” Pidge asked as Shiro looked at them all, a frown on his lips.

“Whatever we do, we all stay together. I’ve already lost my crew once to aliens. I’m not about to do it again.” Hunk turned to Lance and Pidge, and both nodded in confirmation. Hunk took a deep breath and urged the Lion forward.

“Looks like we’re all missing class tomorrow.”

The castle was as beautiful as it was old. Lance could feel the ancient energy swirling around them as they left the Lion. Deja vu hit him as he walked closer to the doors. He’d been there before, except he knew he hadn’t. This was Lance’s first time leaving Earth. He couldn’t have seen the place before, right? The Lion’s roar broke Lance from his train of thought, and he looked back at the others. They shrugged as well at his silent question.

“I wonder if this is his home,” Pidge commented softly. There was a curiosity in their eyes that Lance didn’t want to place. Creaking alerted them all as the doors to the Castle opened. They all looked at each other before Lance took a step in.

The inside of the castle was even more spectacular than anything Lance could imagine. It was dark as if there was no natural lighting filtering from the windows above them. Something popped out of the wall and scanned them all. Only then did the lights turn on. The silver and blue hue of the walls and lights that guided them to a specific place in the castle glistened as if the surfaces were cleaned that morning, but the castle itself felt empty. It felt wrong to Lance. Someone must have been there, right?

They followed the path to what looked like a mostly empty room. There were two pods, at least that’s what Lance thought they were, which stood just off center of the room. Lance walked up to one and looked inside. A woman. He felt like he had seen her before. Suddenly the glass lifted, and the woman’s eyes opened.

“Chaslya!” She shouted as she fell out of the pod. Lance caught her in his arms and stared down at her. Did she know English? Or any language that was spoken on Earth? Lance helped her stand upright as she turned to address the rest of them.

“Shon sinslen di? Shen sinslen di drav glac?” Lance was fluent in two languages. He could be reading Spanish and translate it to English or vice versa with ease. He had no idea what this woman was saying at all.

“Relax, we aren’t here to harm you. We were brought here by a Yellow Lion.” Shiro could understand her? Maybe it was something he learned while being held captive by other aliens. The pod next to him hissed open. A man walked out and looked at each of them in shock. The shock dissolved into anger quickly as the man put his fists up like he was planning on fighting them. The woman said something to him that distracted him and brought all the attention to her once more. Lance watched the man leave.

“Shiro? What’s going on?” Pidge asked, pressing themselves up against Hunk as if the teenager would help save them. Pidge was scared. Lance had never seen Pidge scared. Shiro lifted up what looked like a necklace from underneath his shirt.

“It seems my translator still works. I was given one while I was Zarkon’s prisoner.” The comment made the woman gasp from a console she had been standing in front of.

“Zarkon?” She asked with disbelief. At least that, Lance understood. The other man rushed back into the room, giving no place for Shiro to respond. He passed out black necklace looking things that looked similar to Shiro’s. All three put them on.

“There, now you should be able to understand us.” The man seemed pleased with himself for giving them the translators. At least now Lance understood them.

“Did you say Zarkon?” The woman asked once more. All attention went back to her.

“He was the one who commanded my crew and I be taken as prisoners. I only escaped from them a few days ago.” Shiro explained. “I am Takashi Shirogane. This is Lance, Pidge, and Hunk. Hunk piloted us here after we found the yellow Lion.”

Shiro pointed to each of them as he introduced them, but Lance wasn’t sure if the woman was listening.

“I am Princess Allura of planet Altea. Coran, here, is my father’s adviser.” The woman introduced as she returned her attention to the console. She gasped again and looked up at Coran. “We’ve been sleeping for ten thousand decaphoebs. How is that possible, Coran? If Zarkon is still alive, then the Galra must live longer than I thought. Planet Altea and everything in its system are gone.”

Coran walked over to the Princess and put his hand on her shoulder. He was comforting the Princess, and none of them noticed that Lance was practically choking on his own tongue as thoughts raced through his head. He had heard of Altea. It was where his dreams were held. He had thought it was just his imagination being overactive, but with everything he’d learned in the last day and a half, he knew it was real. Did that mean his dreams were real as well?

“We need to find the other Lions before Zarkon can. We have two. Now we just need the other three.” Allura was talking again. “It’ll be hard since we only have four paladins for five Lions, but...I believe it’s manageable.”

Allura led them to a different part of the Castle. There were a large window and multiple consoles around the room. Above them, embedded in the ceiling, was a large crystal hanging down. Lance was amazed.

“Hunk, the Yellow Lion has chosen you as its Paladin. I do not believe this to be a mistake. It takes a Paladin of honor and strength to pilot the Yellow Lion and form the left leg of Voltron. Pidge, I believe the Green Lion will accept you as its Paladin. It takes someone of intelligence and dignity to pilot the Green Lion and form the left arm of Voltron.” Allura had pulled up a star map of the universe. At least it looked to Lance like it was the universe.

“Shiro, the Black Lion needs a strong and stable leader to not only form the head of Voltron but also lead the Paladins into battle. I believe the Black Lion will accept you as that leader. Now we meet the issue at hand. The Black Lion is here in the Castle, locked away so no one could get it while Coran and I slept. It will take the other four Lions to release that lock.”

“What about Lance? You didn’t give him a lion.” Pidge cut in before Allura could go on. Lance hadn’t missed how she had ignored him and refused to even look at him. What had he done to her?

“I was getting to that. The Red Lion is the hardest to control and the Blue Lion will be the hardest to find. I would like to see if you can control the Red Lion as we retrieve it. If not, then we will have to wait until we find the Red Paladin and the Blue Lion. I am going to send you all to retrieve the Red and Green Lions while Coran and I search for the Blue Lion.” Allura then guided them through the Castle once again. She took them to a sort of storage chamber. Inside were suits of armor and a table with strange devices on them.

“These will be your suits of armor. For now, Lance, I’m going to give you the Red Paladin’s armor. If you are unable to control the Red Lion then we will switch it to the Blue Paladin’s armor.” She pointed them to the table next. “These are your bayards. They are connected to your Lions and can transform into a weapon suited to you. I’m sorry, Shiro, your bayard was lost along with the original Black Paladin.”

“It’s alright. I’ll make due.” Lance watched as Hunk and Pidge picked theirs up and they instantly transformed. His didn’t. He doubted he was the Red Paladin.

“I’d like Hunk and Pidge to retrieve the Green Lion. It’s on a planet one galaxy over. As far as I’m aware, it should be a peaceful planet. Shiro, Lance, I’d like to send you to a planet in a different galaxy that’s a bit further to retrieve the Red Lion. If you are unable to pilot it, return immediately.”

That was how Lance and Shiro ended up on a hotter planet with an active volcano. The large plants, though he couldn’t recognize any species, towered over them and provided some relief from the sun’s rays but, in turn, made it harder to move around. Not to mention, there were Galra all over the place.

“Lance, can you feel the Red Lion at all?” Shiro’s voice was hushed as the two hid from the Galra. Lance knew how important it would be for them to find the Red Lion and Lance being able to pilot it but he wasn’t getting any sort of sense for the Lion. He took a deep breath and concentrated on searching for the Lion. He could almost get an idea of which direction to look when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.

“Look what we got. Two little humans trying to get another Lion.” The voice was low and almost sounded like a growl instead of spoken words. Lance didn’t want to look back to see who had found them - it was obvious it was a Galra.

“Is that the Champion? We should take them straight to the commander.” Another voice said from further away. He could almost hear awe in the soldier’s voice. Shiro grunted before the soldier’s hand disappeared from Lance’s shoulder.

“Run!” Shiro called, grabbing Lance’s wrist tightly with his real arm and running away from the two soldiers. It took Lance a second or two to get his footing right before he was running just behind Shiro. They leaped over plants and branches until finally, Shiro skidded to a stop. It was a dead end. Either turn back the way they had come or jump off the ledge in front of him. Lance could hear the Galra behind them.

A purr rang in his mind. It sounded almost like the Red Lion was daring them to jump. Without another thought, Lance pulled Shiro with him as he jumped off the ledge. Hopefully, it was the Red Lion and they would be saved. Lance had jumped straight into a volcano. When had they even reached it?

The lava below was quickly approaching; Lance was losing hope. He may have just sent Shiro to his death. A roar sounded from below them. Something under the Lava was coming up and as the lava cleared, Lance could see the head of the Red Lion. Once it was free of the lava, the particle barrier dropped. The Lion opened its mouth. Shiro and Lance fell into the mouth and tumbled into the cockpit. By the time the Galra had caught up with them, the Lion was already flying out of the volcano.

“Good job Lance!” Shiro complimented even if Lance could see his chest heaving in deep breaths. That had been terrifying. Lance didn’t want to do anything like it again.

“Uh, Shiro? I’m not controlling the Lion. It’s piloting itself to the wormhole.” Lance wasn’t even sitting in the pilot seat. He had just gotten to his feet when they reached the wormhole. The wormhole closed not even a second after they passed through it. Lance let out a sigh as he saw the Castle coming into view.

The Red Lion landed itself in the largest hangar where the Green and Yellow Lions also rested. Lance and Shiro exited the Lion slowly. Lance almost felt like Hunk when he saw the solid ground and was ready to puke. He had been the one to toss them into that volcano, so he had no reason to complain. Honestly, he was grateful to see the ground.

“Lance, you did it!” Hunk called out from the other side of the hangar where Pidge, Allura, and Coran were standing with him.

“Hate to break your bubble, but I didn’t do anything. The Red Lion did all the work. I wasn’t even in the pilot seat for most of the ride back.” Lance had no idea why the Red Lion had saved them. He wasn’t going to complain.

“That’s odd. I’ve never heard of the Lions allowing other Paladins to pilot them before. Or even saving them for that matter.” Allura responded thoughtfully. She was looking at Coran as if the man would have all the answers.

“I don’t know either Princess, but then again, we haven’t been in a situation like this before. Maybe Red was channeling the previous Red Paladin. He would have done anything it took to save innocent lives.” Allura looked sad at the mention of the previous Red Paladin but didn’t mention it.

“Regardless, the Red Lion is with us now. I’ve also found the Blue Lion. There’s a ship heading straight for us. The commander, Sendak, has ordered us to surrender the Lions.” Allura hadn’t been sure what she wanted to do when Sendak issued his order, but she knew it wouldn’t be to surrender. If Coran hadn’t informed her of her father’s memory core, she wouldn’t have been able to make a decision. She was supposed to be a strong leader like her father was, but at the first sign of trouble, Allura turned to him for advice.

“My father’s memory is stored in the Castle’s systems. I was able to speak with him about what to do. We are going to send the Yellow Lion out to distract Sendak while Pidge takes Shiro and Lance in the Green Lion to infiltrate his ship. We need to get the Blue Lion.” Lance almost couldn’t believe what he was being told. He had to go back into enemy territory, this time closer to the actual enemy, and try to retrieve another lion? Did their lives mean nothing to her? The rest of his friends seemed to accept the plan, even if it meant leaving Hunk on his own. Lance was not a fan of the idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation for Allura:  
> Chaslya! - Father!  
> Shon sinslen di? Shen sinslen di drav glac - Who are you? What are you doing here?  
> Edited 12/15/2020 for clarity


	2. Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Keith finally meet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to wait until Thursday to post this but then I decided Sunday would be a good day to update this story.

Lance sighed as he slipped into the ship behind Shiro. The ship was dark and eerie. It was the complete opposite of the Castle. Even just standing in it made Lance uncomfortable. Shiro recognized the ship as the one he had been held on. Almost immediately, Pidge had insisted on searching for the other prisoners. Shiro shot them down, starting an argument Lance ignored. He took a deep breath as he tried to search for the Blue Lion’s consciousness. That’s what he decided was calling to him and what he had heard from the Red Lion.

“Lance. I’m going to go with Pidge to search for the other prisoners. His family might still be here.” Lance had missed something in the conversation. He didn’t get the chance to argue back as both Paladins left him. Okay, fine. He could do this. He just needed to find the Blue Lion and not get caught. That should be easy, right?

Sendak stared down at the prisoner at his feet. His shirt was torn, displaying the soulmate mark given to him by the disgusting Altean he had been in love with. Sendak wanted to cut it off of him. He knew it wouldn’t do anything. He had tried once; the mark had simply reappeared after the druids were finished healing him. If it weren’t for the fact that he was essential to the Emperor, Sendak would kill him. He would torture him so harshly he would break the traitor’s spirit. Actually, that was a good idea. He smirked as he lifted Keith off the ground by his hair. Keith grunted at the pain but made no other indication of it.

“Sir, there are intruders on the ship. The prisoners have escaped!” Haxus shouted from his console. Sendak growled and turned to his lieutenant.

“Find them. Bring them to me.” Sendak turned his attention back to the prisoner in front of him. Torture was exactly what he needed to lift his mood. His clawed finger pressed against the traitor’s lips until he had separated them. There were many ways he could break the prisoner’s spirit. None of them Keith would enjoy, but Sendak planned to enjoy every minute of it.

“Let me know when you find the intruders.” With that, Sendak left the bridge, dragging Keith along with him.

Lance ran through hallways he thought would bring him closer to where he sensed the Blue Lion. A scream caught Lance’s attention. Pidge and Shiro had informed him they had released the prisoners and were going to rendezvous with him as soon as they could find him. Instead, Lance told them to get out. He thought he had been close to the Blue Lion and would meet them back at the Castle. Now, it seemed the scream was drawing him close. He wasn’t sure where he was, but it looked like another set of prison cells. A door was open, and more screams sounded from inside. Hesitantly, Lance took out his bayard. Thankfully he had changed armor and grabbed the right bayard before they left. The weapon transformed into a rifle. Lance hadn’t practiced a lot of shooting, but he knew the basic motions of it. He crept up on the room and aimed his rifle in front of him.

What he saw was both shocking and disgusting. One of the Galra towered over another, blood dripping from his clawed fingers, and his pants slightly pulled down. It had to be Sendak. Allura had given them a description as best she could, but to him, all the Galra looked alike. The one on the ground had a gash through his right eye that reached the tip of his lip. His cat-like ears were flat against his head; the way his mouth hung open Lance could see his sharp teeth. His shirt was nothing more than bits of fabric that hung off his shoulders and neck loosely, revealing pale purple skin stained with bright red blood from another gash along his chest. Lance’s eyes drifted to the mark, almost like a tattoo, on his left shoulder near his collar bone. A tornado of fire above a raging sea. Lance saw it before. In fact, he saw it every day.

Without thinking, Lance aimed his rifle and shot Sendak’s prosthetic arm. He fired again and hit one of his eyes. The Galra on the ground crawled away from the commander just as he fell to the ground in pain. Lance roughly pulled the Galra into the hallway and shut the door to trap Sendak. If it was a cell, like he thought, Sendak wouldn’t be able to open it from inside.

Someone was in front of him, picking the Galra up, before he could even blink. Lance didn’t even hear her arrive until it was too late. If she had wanted him dead, he would have been on the floor before he could react. He aimed his gun at her regardless.

“Calm yourself, Paladin. I’m helping you get off this ship. Follow me. I’ll take you to the Blue Lion.” Krolia didn’t know why she was going out of her way to help Keith and the Voltron Paladin. If she was caught, she’d be killed. All her work would be wasted but seeing Keith in such bad shape and the Paladin trying to help him, she knew they needed to get off the ship alive. Krolia had been in charge of securing the Blue Lion as they got ready to transport it to Zarkon. She had planned on letting the airlock open and the Lion escaping before Sendak changed his plans.

She half dragged Keith down the halls with the Blue Paladin following her. It was a tense silence as they slowly made their way to the Blue Lion. Krolia would stop them every time she heard a sentry approach and hid. Lance was only somewhat beginning to trust her as they made their way to a door.

“The Blue Lion is in there. I ask one thing in return. Take him with you. Keep him out of the hands of the Galra. You’ll find your job as a Paladin much easier if you do.” It wasn’t meant to be a threat, but it came off as threatening. Krolia all but pushed Keith into Lance’s arms before opening the door in front of them.

“I don’t even know this guy!” He protested as Krolia pushed him into the hangar.

“Maybe not, but he’s important to the Emperor. Until we meet again, Paladin. I’m trusting you to take care of Keith. The Blade of Marmora is counting on you.” The door closed between them, and Lance sighed. He supposed he needed to get out of there. Glancing down, he realized he had seen the Galra in his arms before.

Keith could barely concentrate. He heard Krolia talking, then a door closing. Was she talking to him? He tried to look at who was holding him. He was surprised to find the man staring down at him. He looked like…

“Lancel?” His voice was hoarse and weak from his earlier screaming. The pain of his injuries throbbed through his body, dulled as he looked at the face of his beloved.

“What’d you call me? My name’s Lance, not Lancel.” His voice was deeper than Lancel’s, but it still sounded like his fallen lover. His eyes were the same rich deep blue even if he was missing his eye scales, and his hair was dark brown instead of the white Keith remembered vividly.

“Lance...Sound just like him.” Keith was losing consciousness. He knew that his wounds were still bleeding. Sendak or Haxus would probably find them soon. He may finally get to die.

“Alright, buddy, we’re leaving.” Lance struggled to walk with Keith’s weight hanging off of him but had to be more careful than he had with Shiro. This guy was smaller than Shiro but still larger than Lance. He practically had to drag him to the Blue Lion. He felt the hum of welcome from the giant Lion as she opened her mouth and allowed them inside. He gently laid Keith on the ground. As he examined the wounds, he grimaced. Both gashes were still bleeding heavily. Lance had to hurry. He hoped Allura would allow him to carry out the promise he made to the woman who helped him.

“I’ve got the Blue Lion!” Lance said as soon as he sat down. Blue lit up around him when he grabbed the controls. Lance grinned before he realized he didn’t know how to get out of the ship. Blue seemed to understand his predicament as she shot a hole in the side of the ship. Lance offered a silent thanks before piloting them out of the ship. He glanced behind him to the Galra he had rescued. He would need medical attention as soon as they landed.

“Allura, can you prepare a pod for someone? I found another prisoner, and he needs medical attention immediately.” Lance explained as he met up with Hunk and Pidge’s Lions. They returned to the Castle again and landed around the Red Lion.

Lance found himself nervous about bringing the Galra out now. How could he even begin to explain why he had taken him with? Would the team decide to kill him before he could even plead his own case? Would Keith wake up before then? So many questions and no firm answers. Lance hesitated next to him.

“Lance, do you need help with the prisoner?” Shiro’s voice broke him out of his thoughts. He had no choice but to show the Galra to the team. He had already said he had someone with him. Maybe if he could convince Shiro to let them help him, they could convince the rest of the team. Besides, Lance couldn’t just drag him everywhere.

“Yeah, I could use some help. He’s a bit heavy, and there’s blood everywhere.” Through the viewing window of the Lion’s eyes, Lance could see Allura and Coran entering the hangar below him. He sighed and knelt next to Keith and began pulling one of his arms around his neck.

Shiro entered the cockpit much faster than Lance was ready. He had wanted even half a minute more to prepare himself for the questions that would pour from Shiro. From all of them, really. He didn’t even have a real answer. Shiro glanced between Lance and the Galra sitting against the wall of Blue. He opened his mouth.

“Listen, before you ask, I know he’s Galra, but look at him. He was as much a prisoner as the ones you released were.” Lance tried to explain, his voice pleading. He needed Shiro on his side for this to work. “Sendak was torturing him. And some lady helped us escape and insisted he come with. I couldn’t just leave him there.”

Shiro knelt down and pulled Keith’s other arm and pulled it around his own neck. Together they got the Galra on his feet. They began walking out of the cockpit without many words. Lance took that as a sign that Shiro was willing to help him. Or at least he wasn’t going to insist on killing the Galra immediately.

All eyes were on Lance and Shiro as they walked out. It was obvious they had a Galra in their arms, but no one said anything. Instead, they all looked over at Allura. His eyes followed theirs. Lance could see her brewing in anger. He had messed up. He knew that, but he wouldn’t let them hurt him more.

“You brought a Galra into the Castle?” She shouted, stomping closer to them. She stopped almost directly in front of the two. When she glanced down, she gasped. “It can’t be. Keith?”

Lance was surprised to see Red’s eyes light up when Allura said Keith’s name. It was like she was welcoming Keith just as Yellow had welcomed Hunk, and Blue had welcomed him. Was she claiming Keith as her Paladin? It seemed like it to Lance.

“That was what the Galra who helped me escape called him. She also mentioned something called the Blade of Mar...uh...Mar something.” Lance hoped that because Allura recognized him, they could help the Galra.

“Marmora?” She asked as she gently lifted Keith’s head up. Her lips were pulled into a frown as she saw how much blood he was losing. “Let’s get him to the infirmary. I know him. Unless he’s also changed in the ten thousand years Coran and I have been asleep, he’s trustworthy.”

Lance didn’t reply. Instead, he and Shiro pulled Keith across the hangar. Coran guided them to the infirmary, the chamber the team had been in when they had met Allura and Coran. Coran already had a pod set up and ready. Shiro and Lance put him in there as gently as they could.

“So, who is this guy, Allura?” Pidge asked as they watched Coran turn the pod on. Allura stared at Keith as if he was the hope she had been waiting for.

“Let’s go to the lounge. We can talk there.” Allura finally tore her gaze away from Keith. She took them to the lounge. It all seemed familiar to Lance, but he kept his mouth shut as he took a seat next to Hunk on the couch.

“There are things you should know. To start, Keith is a Galra, but he had been on Altea’s side when the war broke out. In fact, for nearly a full decaphoeb before the war started, Keith had spent most of his time on Altea with my family. He...he and my brother were getting ready to start courting the day Zarkon declared war.” Allura’s voice was soft and mournful. Thinking about her family must have hurt. Talking about it seemed much harder. In a way, Lance could understand. It was hard for him to think of home. He had only been gone for two days. Allura lost her entire world.

“Is that why you changed your mind when you saw him? You looked ready to kill him where he stood.” Pidge asked from their spot next to Shiro. Allura nodded her confirmation.

“Honestly, I thought he had died when my brother did. If he’s alive, it may be possible for my brother also to be alive. Maybe even Keith’s sister. Who knows the possibilities.”

“The woman who helped me said we needed to keep him out of the hands of the Galra and that if we did, he could make things easier for us.” Lance was curious about how one soldier could make such a difference. What made Keith so special?

“And she was right. Keith used to be a soldier under Zarkon’s direct command. He knows the tactics. You saw his injuries. He’s an enemy to the Empire.” Coran replied from his position standing behind Allura. Coran was acting as if Allura needed protection. Like they would attack her for the information she was giving them. Lance was glad to have the information, if nothing else.

“And these Blades of Marmora? Any idea who they are?” Shiro asked the question that had been sitting in the forefront of Lance’s mind.

“That I don’t know. We’ll have to investigate them.” Allura looked down thoughtfully. “Lance, what exactly did she say about these Blades?”

“‘The Blade of Marmora is counting on you.’ It almost sounded like a threat with the way she said it.” Lance still got shivers as he thought of her.

“Did she give you a name? Any way we can contact her or these Blades?” Shiro was trying to figure out their next move. Lance could tell.

“Nothing. If she hadn’t helped me get out of there, I would have shot her honestly.” Lance shrugged as if talking about harming someone was normal. He supposed this was his new normal. It was a strange thing to get used to. They were expected to help some people and kill others. Lance had never been okay with the idea of killing people.

“We will research more about them. For now, rest. We will talk more when Keith wakes up.” Allura stood up, indicating their conversation was over. “Oh, and Shiro, we should be able to unlock the chamber where the Black Lion rests now that the other four are in the castle.”

“Then let’s do that. The sooner we can use them all, the better for us.”

Sendak was angry. His cybernetic eye was destroyed thanks to that intruder, and he had lost his prisoner. He could care less about the ones he sent to the Arena. They were bound for death regardless of where they ended up. Keith had been his prized prisoner. Almost a gift from the Emperor himself. It was his job to break the former Prince and get whatever information he had out of him.

Someone was opposing the Empire, and Sendak was sure that Keith knew who it was. The pathetic man was a sympathizer to the Alteans; it was said he had even fought against Zarkon himself for killing his beloved. It made Sendak sick. The former alliance with the Alteans was a stain on the Empire’s history, nothing more.

“Sir, I need you to calm down. The druids won’t be able to do their job if you keep irritating the wounds.” Haxus had always been loyal to Sendak and the Empire. Sendak appreciated the lengths the man would go through to finish any job for project Sendak or the Emperor gave him. Right now, however, Sendak just wanted to be left alone. He had lost. He wouldn’t lose the next fight.

“As soon as the druids get here and do their job, we are going straight down to Arus. I want those Lions.”

_He sat at the edge of the meadow, the guard leaving him be once he sat down, and simply took in the beauty of the flowers in front of him. They smelled sweet. The bright color of the flowers brought him a sort of joy he hadn’t experienced before. Galrans weren’t supposed to show their feelings; that was what his Governess taught him. He was a soldier, maybe not as powerful as his father but still better than the generals his father employed to help him run his army. He wasn’t meant to be sitting in a meadow of flowers, feeling happy about it. Was it happiness, or was he merely content? Keith wasn’t sure. He had always been encouraged to improve his skills, to train more and more until he could match his father in battle. He still had a long way to go if he were ever to beat his father._

_“Oh? Are you here with the Galran embassy?” A soft voice spoke up from behind him, and Keith nearly jumped in surprise. Turning his head from the flowers in front of him to look at who was speaking to him, Keith immediately recognized the son of King Alfor. Lancel looked so much like his mother, Queen Melenor, that he would have to be blind in order not to see the resemblance. His robes were long and flowed behind him as he moved._

_“I accompanied my father here…” Keith decided he needed to say something instead of simply looking at the handsome Prince like he was. The light laugh and smile that followed his words stunned Keith._

_“So you’re Emperor Zarkon’s son then? What are you doing out here?” Lancel took a seat next to the Galra and looked out over the meadow of flowers. Keith could feel his warmth radiating off of him and warm his own skin, even though he hadn’t felt cold._

_“I was told to wait outside of the Castle until my father was done with the meeting. I was...admiring the...flowers. We don’t have anything like them on Daibazaal.” Keith was almost embarrassed to admit such a thing. He wondered, briefly, if Lancel had ever been to other planets but brushed that off before he could even think to ask. King Alfor and the Alteans were known to be diplomats. They weren’t a strong fighting force like the Galra or that of the other Paladins of Voltron. They certainly weren’t weak; Keith had seen the type of fights King Alfor and his father had gotten into, but for the most part, Alteans were diplomats. It was why they held a Warrior’s Bond between themselves and three other planets. The alliance wasn’t shaky by any means, but Keith hadn’t seen Gyrgan, Blaytz, or Trigel on his planet nearly as much as his father had gone to Altea or the other leaders’ planets. Surely King Alfor would bring his children with him when he went on diplomatic trips._

_“I imagine not. The Juniberry is native to Altea. We thrive off of the flower as much as it thrives off of us. We tend to the flowers and the flowers give us berries which we can make into nectar, spreads, and juices. Would you like to try one?” Lancel didn’t wait for an answer before he picked one of the berries off of a flower near their feet. He held it out to Keith as an offering. The young Galra prince reached out to grab it from him, but instead, Lancel held it up to his lips. Hesitantly, he leaned down and opened his mouth, showing off his sharp teeth. Lancel placed the berry in his mouth and let his fingers linger for a short tick before pulling them out. The berry was sweeter than anything Keith had ever tasted. He nearly moaned with delight as he swallowed. Keith hadn’t been aware he had closed his eyes until after he swallowed. When he opened them again, Lancel was smiling at him._

_“It’s good, isn’t it? You should come to the Berry Festival next phoeb. You’ll get to taste the best berries Altea has to offer. I’m sure my father would be more than happy to welcome you back to Altea.”_

_“My father probably wouldn’t allow it. I’m not even sure why he brought me here today.” Keith didn’t want to upset his father by asking him for any favors. As far as he and Bralae were aware, Lotor was their father’s favorite. “Besides that’s close to Honerva’s due date. Father would want to be with her during such a time.”_

_“Who says you have to come with your father? I’m inviting you, not your father.” Lancel didn’t seem to care that Galra have their own traditions and customs._

Keith’s body flared in pain. He was cold, which wasn’t unusual for him except this cold felt different than what he was used to. This cold was numbing but almost comforting. Unlike the chill, he felt in his cell.

He wasn’t in his cell. Keith could tell that he wasn’t. There wasn’t the stomping of boots or someone yelling like he had grown used to. The only thing Keith could hear was a low hum around him. Where was he if he wasn’t on Sendak’s ship anymore?

The first thing he noticed when he opened his eyes was how bright everything was. He definitely wasn’t on Sendak’s ship anymore. But then, if he wasn’t on Sendak’s ship, where was he? The white and blue hue looked familiar to Keith. It almost looked...no he couldn’t be there. The Castle of Lions was hidden from everyone. It had been for ten thousand decaphoebs.

The sound of glass retreating and warm air hitting his face broke him of his thoughts. Gingerly he stepped out of the pod into the warmer air. He knew the chamber he was in. He had been there a few times with Lancel and Allura...and he had been in there when Lancel died. Could he really be in the Castle of Lions again?

“I see you’re awake, Prince Keith. The Princess and I were very worried about you. It’s been almost a full quintant since you were put in the pod. How are you feeling?” It was Coran. Keith hadn’t spent much time with the adviser, but he knew him. He could trust him. Assuming this wasn’t a dream coaxed by the Druids’ meddling. It wouldn’t be the first time he thought he was back on Altea.

“Is this a dream?” Even if it were, would Coran tell him? Why did he see Coran first, if it were a dream? The adviser gave a hearty laugh.

“Heavens no, Keith. One of our new Paladins found you on Sendak’s ship and rescued you. Now, tell me how you feel, and let’s see if we can’t get you back into fighting shape.” Coran moved closer to him as he spoke until he was close enough to guide Keith to one of the chairs in the room. Had those always been there? He couldn’t remember now. As the decaphoebs passed, he started forgetting things he thought he would always remember.

“I’m sore. My muscles feel stiff.” It was best to be honest with Coran. He would find out if he was lying sooner or later. “Did you say Princess Allura is here?”

Keith hadn’t been aware that the Princess and Adviser still lived. Had they been hiding all this time? No, if they had, they would have acted sooner. His father made it public knowledge that he had betrayed the Empire. Even though he and Lancel hadn’t finished the courting ceremony or mated with each other, Keith considered him his mate. He would do anything for him. They were soulmates, after all.

“Yes, Princess Allura is checking over the defense systems as we speak. The Paladins are outside bonding with their Lions.” Paladins. Keith remembered the man who looked so much like his beloved wearing the blue armor he was used to Blaytz wearing. So Allura had found new paladins to pilot the Lions after all. Coran began checking Keith over. For a moment, Keith wondered how Sendak was reacting to him being gone. He had been the commander’s prisoner for nearly nine decaphoebs, maybe even longer. Time was hard to keep track of when the most he saw was the inside of his cell and the medical chamber. Keith was more familiar with the druids than he had hoped to be. It was nice talking to Krolia when she could risk it, but that wasn’t often.

Coran placed a set of clothes on the counter next to Keith after he was satisfied that the wounds he had received had healed properly. There was nothing he could do about the scars he now had. At least Keith was alive, and they could get him back in good health. Keith’s glazed eyes told him the Galran Prince was lost in his own thoughts, but there was a burning question Coran needed to ask.

“Prince Keith, may I ask how you came to be the Empire’s prisoner?” Keith’s eyes snapped up to the adviser’s. Coran could see part of his eye had sustained damage. Unless Keith said anything about it, he wouldn’t pry.

“Just Keith. I’m no longer a prince. Zarkon stripped me of that title when he found me dying next to Lancel. He had the druids heal me so I could tell him where the Castle of Lions was hidden. I couldn’t tell him what he wanted to know. He wouldn’t listen. He threw me to his commanders and the druids. Eventually, I ended up in Sendak’s ship.” The door opened, interrupting Keith. Allura walked in, her dress as elegant and beautiful as the last time he had seen her. Her smile was relaxed, the most relaxed he had ever seen it around him. Seeing her made him miss Lancel more.

“I’m glad to see you awake and talking, Prince Keith.” Keith winced at the title. No one had referred to him as Prince without a taunt or jeer attached to it in decaphoebs.

“I am no longer a prince, Princess.” The words sounded bitter coming out a second time. He hadn’t even wanted to claim his father’s throne in the first place, yet somehow, he felt empty without the title. Allura moved so she was standing in front of him. She knelt in front of him until her eyes met his.

“You will always be Prince Keith of Daibazaal to me. Daibazaal may be gone, and the Empire may be against you, but that doesn’t make you any less of a Prince to me. You are strong. It doesn’t matter what has happened in the last ten thousand decaphoebs. I will always remember the man my brother loved.” Keith didn’t admit how the decaphoebs had worn on him. If he had known the information Zarkon wanted, he would have broken down and given it to him long ago. Had it really been ten thousand Decaphoebs? Keith had lost track of time. Even his memories of his life before the war were fuzzy. All he knew anymore was pain. He was weak. He even needed saving. Pathetic.

“The Paladin who helped me, may I meet him? I’d like to thank him for getting me off that ship.” Keith’s voice was unsteady. It betrayed the strength Allura said he had. Keith wasn’t strong. He couldn’t even save the man he thought of as a mate from death.

“Of course. But first I would like to have you test something for me. And afterward, if you’re up to it, I’m sure my father would like to see you. His memory was stored in one of our cores when he died.” Keith felt like throwing up. Allura must not have known he had been nearly killed by her father after Lancel died. King Alfor wouldn’t have told her that; he had seen Keith as a son before the war began.

“Princess, let’s not overwhelm Keith. How about we start with the Red Lion and go from there?” Coran came to Keith’s defense before the former Prince could say anything against visiting her father. He shot Coran a grateful glance before he moved to stand up.

“Get changed, Keith. We’ll go to the Lion’s hangar after you’re dressed.” Coran and Allura left him alone. Changing took a great deal more energy than he had thought it would. He must have lost more muscle mass than he thought while being held prisoner. He was tired when he opened the door to reveal Allura and Coran talking to someone he didn’t recognize. He certainly recognized the armor he was wearing - it had been his father’s once upon a time.

“Ah, Keith! This is Shiro, the Paladin of the Black Lion.” Coran introduced once he saw the door open. Shiro had what Keith thought was a reassuring smile on his lips as he held his hand out to Keith. The former Prince simply stared at it, confused. What was he supposed to do? Was this some sort of greeting? Shiro dropped his hand.

“It’s nice to see you’re okay. Everyone was worried when Lance returned with you.” Lance? Was that the name of the Paladin who had saved him?

“I uh...appreciate him rescuing me.” It felt like a weight was on his chest as he said the words. He wasn’t supposed to be weak. Allura had told him he wasn’t. He still felt like he was worthless. When they realized how useless he was, would they send him back to his father?

“We were just about to take Keith to see if he could pilot the Red Lion.” What? Everyone turned to him. Had he said that out loud?

“The Red Lion’s eyes lit up when Allura said your name in the hanger earlier. She thinks you are the Red Lion’s Paladin.” Shiro explained, eyes shifting over to Allura. It had once been a dream to pilot one of the Lions, but he never actually expected to do so. King Alfor had told them that the Lions wouldn’t choose a new Paladin until the previous one died. It made sense. King Alfor was dead as were three of the other Paladins. The Black Paladin was still alive, however. How could the Black Lion choose another Paladin while its previous one lived?

“Don’t worry, Keith. You’re a great pilot. You taught my brother how to pilot, didn’t you?” Allura winked at him. She already knew the answer to that. She had watched them during the lessons Keith gave to Lancel. That wasn’t what he was worried about. Regardless, Allura and Coran guided him to the hangar. He’d been there before but only a few times. Shiro was following them. He must have been curious to see if Keith could do it.

The particle barrier around the Red Lion was up when Keith walked in. Next to her stood the Black Lion, the barrier releasing as soon as she sensed her Paladin coming near. Allura, Coran, and Shiro all paused and allowed him to pass them. His heart was racing as he walked up to the Red Lion. He closed his eyes and put a hand on the barrier, attempting to connect his consciousness to the Lion’s. How else was he supposed to ask the Lion if he could pilot her?

Keith begged and pleaded. He wanted to be useful, wanted to do anything he could to stop his father. Though ten thousand decaphoebs had passed, he still mourned the loss of his beloved. He mourned the loss of his sister. They were all each other had growing up. A gentle purr echoed in his mind. The barrier between him and the Lion slowly vanished. The Red Lion had accepted him. He wasn’t sure if he should feel thankful or upset about it. He didn’t give himself the time to second guess himself. He opened his eyes and dropped his hand just to see the mouth of the Red Lion drop open. He slowly walked in, mostly due to his exhaustion rather than his nerves. The cockpit was different than any pod he had ever been in. Red continued to purr in his head as he took a seat in the pilot’s chair. He took a dobash or two to get used to the feel of the controls and Red’s presence in his mind. It was a comfort Keith hadn’t had in far too long.

Red left the hangar without Keith’s control. He gripped the handles tightly but didn’t fight against the Lion. That wouldn’t work. He needed the Lion to know he could be trusted. Except, the further they got from the Castle, the more nervous Keith got. Would the other Paladins come after him?

“Alright, show me why you took me out here.” Keith closed his eyes. He remembered King Alfor and his father talk about how they had connected to their lions. His father hadn’t been all that forthcoming with his information. It was only when Honerva asked that he talked about it. Bralae hadn’t cared about the Lions in any way, and Keith was honestly afraid of asking. King Alfor had been much more willing to answer questions. Keith still didn’t ask. He was a guest on Altea; he had no reason to be asking such questions.

Red slowed to a stop. Images filled his mind. Alfor piloting the Lion away and burying her in lava. Red’s feelings of being trapped. There was only so much she could do without a Paladin to pilot her out of the lava. She felt betrayed. Keith could understand the feeling. Had he done that with all of the Lions? Hid them somewhere dangerous and left them? Didn’t he explain why he was doing it to them? They were sentient. Surely they would have understood.

The next images were of Shiro and the Blue Paladin - though he was wearing Alfor’s former armor rather than what Keith remembered seeing him in - as they rushed up the side of the volcano while Galra soldiers pursued them. Red had saved them. Had she also mistook the Blue Paladin for Lancel? He looked so much like him. No, Red was smarter than that. She saved them for a different reason. Keith just didn’t know what that reason was.

He opened his eyes and realized he hadn’t actually gone anywhere. He was still in the hangar. Red hummed in his mind. She had accepted him as her Paladin. She showed him her most vulnerable moment, and the moment she regained her strength. That was what Red was telling him. He thanked her, silently, and stood up. He swore he wouldn’t abandon her.

When he left the Lion, the other Paladins had returned and were standing next to Allura, Coran, and Shiro. They hadn’t been paying attention to him as he walked down the ramp. Shiro was the first to notice him. He waved Keith over, catching everyone else’s attention.

“Keith, these are the other Paladins. Pidge, Hunk, and Lance.” Allura pointed to each of the Paladins as Shiro introduced them. Keith nodded a greeting to them. Lance had held his hand out the same as Shiro had. Keith still didn’t understand what he was meant to do.

“It’s a handshake, an Earth greeting,” Lance explained when he saw Keith staring at his hand, confused. Keith hesitantly reached his own hand out, which Lance had quickly grabbed with his outstretched one and shook it. He still didn’t understand how that could be considered a greeting, but he at least knew how to do it now. In case he ever met other humans.

“Paladins, allow me to introduce you to Prince Keith of Daibazaal formally.” Allura had insisted on using his title, even after he told her he was no longer a prince. He sighed and shot her an unappreciative look. She knew what she was doing. They would ask him questions he didn’t want to answer.

“Just Keith, please. I’m no longer a Prince. It is a pleasure to meet you all.” His lips felt like they cracked as he did his best to smile at them. It had been so long since he had last smile, over ten thousand decaphoebs now.

“Daibazaal? Where’s that?” Pidge, he thought at least, asked, looking between Keith and Allura. Keith grimaced at the thought of his former home.

“It no longer exists. Destroyed before the beginning of the war.” Allura left it simple, answering for Keith. He knew she had also lost her home, and it may not have sunk in yet. She had only been awake for what, two quintants? That wasn’t enough time to come to terms with the loss of her home. It would hit her harder than it hit Keith. He had never cared for his planet. He enjoyed being away from it more than he enjoyed being on it.

“Lance was the one who got you off that ship.” Shiro changed the subject. Keith remembered thanking the Black Paladin earlier, but he should extend it to the one who had actually saved him.

“We would both be dead if it hadn’t been for that Galra woman who helped me get to Blue. She was very insistent.” Krolia. They had made the agreement that she would never put her life on the line to help Keith get out. She had work to do that was far more important than assisting Keith to run from the Empire.

“Krolia, she is part of a rebellion against Zarkon. I have no idea what the name of the organization is, but she kept me updated on major events in the Empire while I was on Sendak’s ship.” What kind of trouble would she get in for helping him escape? He hoped Sendak wouldn’t kill her for her betrayal. She could win in the Arena, that much Keith was confident.

Keith wasn’t aware that Allura had guided them out of the hangar and to the lounge. He remembered how much time he and Lancel had spent there studying. It brought back memories that brought more pain than comfort.

“Does the name Blade of Marmora sound familiar? This Krolia mentioned the name to Lance.” Keith shook his head. The only part that sounded familiar was the name Marmora. Allura probably recognized it as well. Was Marmora’s death a lie? Did she start a rebellion? If so, how did she get Galra to agree to work with her?

“Marmora died, unless that was a lie. I remember my sister was devastated when that happened.” Bralae hadn’t taken the news well. She had called Keith immediately and begged him to protect Lancel. It was the first time she had actually acknowledged the Altean Prince as Keith’s soulmate.

“I have no doubt. They were soulmates, weren’t they?” Allura rested a comforting hand on Keith’s shoulder. How Allura had known about that secret, Keith would never know. Bralae had done everything she could to keep that from their father. He had already been upset when Keith found his soulmate in Lancel. There was no way he would allow Bralae to have a soulmate who wasn’t Galra.

“They were. It was supposed to be a secret. Our father would have been angry if we both had soulmates who weren’t Galra.” The racism displayed by his people was disgusting. They placed an emphasis on finding their soulmates and loving them to the point they would die for the other yet refused to acknowledge those whose soulmate wasn’t Galra.

“Why is that?” Lance seemed rather invested in the conversation. Keith wondered why. No one had cared about Galran traditions.

“There is an overwhelming belief among the Galra that their race is to be pure. Anyone who mates with a non-Galra is usually disowned and exiled. I was lucky enough not to care if I was exiled or disowned. I love Lancel with my entire being, no matter what happens to me.” All eyes were on him as he spoke. “My sister was the opposite. She was loyal to the Empire and had worked her way up the ranks as a Commander. She was torn between loving Marmora and protecting her Empire. I wouldn’t be surprised if she betrayed the Empire as a result of Marmora’s death.”

“Marmora was the Princess of Rygnirath. That was the planet the original Yellow Paladin Gyrgan lived. She was his daughter, actually.” Allura wouldn’t forget the horrid expression Gyrgan made when he watched his daughter die. “She was strong and trained heavily for battle. Gyrgan had been worried she would be targeted since she was in line for his position as leader.”

“My sister was often tasked with guarding her whenever she visited Daibazaal. Sometimes Gyrgan asked her to follow Marmora around on her diplomatic trips just to make sure she was safe. It was how they realized they were soulmates.” Their mark had been a dagger, and a sword crossed over each other. Keith remembered how much he wished his own mark had been as simple. Bralae once told him she thought his was beautiful, and it suited them. Keith couldn’t agree with that. It didn’t make sense to him, but Lancel shared her thoughts on their mark and had enjoyed looking at it on Keith’s body whenever he could.

“I think that’s enough for the day. Keith needs to rest. He lost a lot of blood, and the healing pod doesn’t restore that. Allow me to show you to your chamber, Keith.” Coran interrupted before either of the Royals could remanence more.

Coran guided Keith down the hall and to a chamber he was very familiar with. The lights flickered on when he entered, and he was surprised to see it exactly the same as the last time he had been there. Except for some belongings of his own were on the desk. He turned to Coran with questions in his eyes.

“Allura didn’t want to get rid of his belongings. You and Lancel shared a bed-chamber after you figured out you were soulmates, didn’t you? Your chamber was practically empty. I moved what was in there to here for safekeeping. Lance now has your old chamber. Hunk is next to him, followed by Pidge. Shiro is on the other side of you. Allura still has her chamber down the hall if you need anything.” Coran then told him to sleep before closing the door. The lights automatically dimmed. Keith supposed he could organize the mess on the desk after he slept. Exhaustion overwhelmed his body as soon as he laid down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to let me know your thoughts. If you find any mistakes please let me know as well. 
> 
> For anyone wondering, Allura is not aware Alfor tried to kill Keith but she will find out soon.
> 
> Edited 12/15/2020 for clarity


	3. Team

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for your comments and kudos. I almost posted this chapter Friday because of how excited I was.  
> Enjoy!
> 
> Edited 12/15/2020 for clarity

Allura spent the day testing the Castle's systems. She had wanted to begin the Paladins' training bright and early in the morning. After their rough battle, she felt they deserved some extra sleep. At least for that one time. They would need to leave Arus soon in order to keep themselves from being found so easily. That was her next goal. For now, she would let them rest and maybe get to know each other. Shiro had taken it upon himself to check up on everyone. Neither he nor Allura had heard from them after a while.

Keith was still asleep, or at least Shiro and Allura assumed he was still sleeping since he hadn't left his chamber. It was unsurprising after she had read over the medical file Coran put together after Keith came out of the pod. During his time as the Empire's prisoner, he had lost weight. The last attack depleted him of blood. He needed more rest than everyone else. Shiro had decided to let him sleep for as long as he needed but agreed to wake him up by dinner if he wasn't out yet.

In actuality, Keith had gotten up earlier in the morning. He had decided to clear the mess Coran had made of the desk and put his belongings away. Keith had spent the last ten thousand decaphoebs in near solitude. He wasn't ready to be around other people just yet. Not to mention, waking up back in the Castle of Lions without Lancel by his side was...strange. It felt like a dream more than his memories did.

Hunk was in the kitchen. He had said something about experimenting with the food goo to make it more edible. Allura thought the food goo was just fine, but she had to remind herself that races have different taste buds. Maybe Earth Humans couldn't digest the goo? Perhaps she would talk to Coran about that. Shiro got to taste what he was working on and decided it was definitely better than the original.

Lance had spent the morning cleaning the blood out of the Blue Lion, which he forgot was there in the excitement of Keith waking up. After that, he went to the training deck to practice with his rifle. His aim was good, but he hadn't expected the backlash of the shots he took. Allura had tried to get him to do something else. He had insisted on training. She supposed everyone had different methods of working through issues. If it got too bad, she'd have to talk to him about them. She hoped they didn't. When Allura looked at Lance, she saw her brother. She wasn't sure she could keep herself from treating him like her brother.

Shiro watched him for almost ten minutes. In that little bit of time, his shots grew more confident and hit their mark more often. He approached the Blue Paladin when he stopped to take a break. It didn't look like he realized Shiro was there.

"Anything you want to talk about?" His voice scared Lance and almost made him drop his water. He turned to the taller man with a frown.

"Just thinking about some stuff. I think I need to work it out on my own, but...if I need to talk it out, I'll find you." Lance's tone seemed to dismiss Shiro. He knew better than to push when someone didn't want to talk and walked out right after.

Pidge was going over the data held on the Castle's mainframe on the Lions in Black's hangar. They hadn't moved the Lions to their own hangars yet, mostly because they didn't know which one went in which hangar. That answer had been revealed as Pidge looked at the data. That was where Shiro had found them when he went searching. Pidge didn't look up when

"Is there anything you want to talk about?" Pidge was silent. Shiro suppressed a sigh. None of them were prepared to enter a war or to be stuck in space. If he had known that was what was going to happen, Shiro would have thought twice about entering the Yellow Lion.

"I wish we had been able to find my dad and brother or even a hint to where they could be now. Maybe when the prisoners wake up from their pods, I can ask them." Pidge was extremely focused on finding their family. From what Shiro knew - and honestly, that wasn't as much as he had thought - Pidge wasn't the type to give up on what they really wanted. And right now, they wanted nothing more than to find their family. Shiro could admire that. He hadn't had the chance to worry about Commander Holt and Matt since he had escaped.

"We'll find your family Katie. We won't stop until they're found." Pidge looked up at Shiro, surprised. Shiro chuckled. "I've known you since you were a baby. No disguise or fake name you use will fool me. You all became another family to me, and I won't stop until they're found."

"I prefer Pidge. I…" Pidge had never been fond of their name or who they felt like they were forced to be. Before, they had no one to talk to it about except Matt and Shiro; but Matt was gone. Now, they only had Shiro. The problem was they didn't know Shiro as well as they knew Matt. They also didn't know how to put what they felt into words correctly. Even to their brother, they couldn't explain it.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. We are allowed to keep secrets, but don't let those secrets get in the way of your own mental or physical health. I won't tell anyone who you really are, not if you aren't ready." Shiro needed to be patient. With each of the members of the team. He couldn't push a bond on them even if he knew that it might help their team in the long run.

"Thanks, Shiro." Pidge decided after that, they would find a way to talk about how they felt. They wouldn't bottle their emotions if they could avoid it - even if that meant talking to Shiro about things that they didn't feel comfortable with quite yet. They missed Shiro's soft smile aimed at them.

"Any time Pidge. I'm here to talk if you ever need it." The alarm went off before Pidge could reply. Both jumped off the couch and made their way to the bridge. Or rather, they tried to. Allura and Coran had shown them around but didn't give them a map. The two got lost really quickly. They knew when they ran into Keith, they had taken a wrong turn. He was rushing down the hall from his room if Shiro wasn't mistaken. Pidge looked up at Shiro and shrugged. Maybe he knew where he was going. They followed him.

Sendak was in a bad mood and itched for a fight. Still, he knew better than to give the Paladins and Princess Allura any sort of warning as he descended into the atmosphere of Arus. He didn't want to provide them with any time to form a defense. The particle barrier was already up. Sendak knew he could bring it down with a few hits and his ion cannon. After that, it was just a matter of drawing the Lions out and capturing them. Once he had them, he could pretend to offer a trade to get the prisoner back. He wasn't done torturing him.

"Haxus, charge up the ion cannon. I want that barrier gone." Haxus scrambled to follow the order. It took longer than he had wanted. The sentries had taken nearly a full quintant to repair the damage the Yellow Lion did to the cannon. It hadn't had a chance to charge before Sendak commanded them to descend on the planet. Sendak wouldn't listen to reason, his need for revenge and glory outweighed his desire to prepare.

"Fire the cannon." The cannon wasn't even ready. Haxus put the command into the console regardless. Maybe then, Sendak would realize how hasty he was being. Or the Paladins would come out to defend their Castle. Haxus knew they had all five of the Lions, but as far as he was aware, they were missing a Paladin. Reports indicated that the Blue Paladin had also rescued the Red Lion from Krone VI2. One Paladin couldn't fly two Lions at the same time. This would be a win for the Empire. It would just take more time than Sendak was willing to take.

The Castle shook as the particle barrier was hit. Each of the Paladins had arrived on the bridge by the time the attack subsided. Sendak's ship was on the viewing screen, showing him hovering in front of the Castle while the ion cannon charged.

"It's Sendak. He's charging his ion cannon." Allura said the obvious, her voice filled with panic. Well, to Keith it was obvious. Maybe the new Paladins weren't familiar with Galra technology. He didn't even recognize their species.

"It'll take time for the cannon to charge. If he hasn't attacked yet, it's because his cannon isn't charged enough." Keith supplied, trying to calm the panic building around him. "It gives us a chance to retaliate."

"The Castle still needs to recharge as well. I haven't gotten through all of the offense systems. We'll be at a disadvantage." Allura countered. Keith hadn't wanted to shake sense into her as strongly as he did right then. They had access to a powerful weapon that wasn't the Castle, and she wasn't going to use it?

"Then, we'll take the Lions." It was Shiro who responded instead of Keith. Maybe Keith would like him more than he initially thought.

"You don't know how to form Voltron! We're still at a disadvantage!" Coran tried to talk them out of it now. Keith sighed.

"We'll figure it out. We have to. In this war, we will always be at a disadvantage to the Empire. They have more power. That's why Zarkon controls most of the universe. That's why they think they can afford to come into a battle without their largest weapons. That's also why we have to make a stand, here and now. If we don't do something, we'll all die. Didn't your father call Voltron the defender of the universe? What good are we if we hide from the danger?" Keith wasn't the type to make speeches. He wasn't even sure where this one had come from, but it seemed to work.

"Everyone put your armor on. Let's get out there." Shiro ordered, leading the way out of the chamber and down to where their armor was held. Keith paused for a moment to reassure Allura.

"Don't worry, Allura. The Lions chose us, remember? We'll be fine." With that, he left and caught up with the rest of his new team. The term felt strange on his tongue. When had he ever been an active part of any team? Not under his father's command, he hadn't. He shook the thought from his head as they entered the chamber.

It felt strange putting on armor that King Alfor wore. He had seen the Altean King wear it nearly as much as his usual armor. Keith was almost sure that if the former King could see him now, he would kill him. What would Lancel think? It had been their dream to pilot the Lions one day. Now Keith was. It felt surreal.

"This is yours." Lance was holding the red bayard out to him. Keith took it, watching as it turned into a sword. Well, at least he could use the weapon well. He willed it to return to its first form, and it did. It disappeared immediately after.

"Any ideas on how to form Voltron?" Hunk asked as the group walked down to the hangar. They were walking quickly but not too fast that they were unable to talk.

"Keith?" Lance redirected Hunk's question to the Galran member of the team. Keith racked his memories to see if he could remember anything helpful.

"When the former Paladins first did it, they were in the heat of battle. King Alfor once told me it was like something had just clicked between them, and they were able to form Voltron." The former Paladins had also been friends and allies long before they first formed Voltron. There was no saying this group would be able to do so.

"Well, we're about to be in the heat of battle." Pidge spat the comment out as they entered the hangar. Keith ignored it and entered his Lion. Red purred to life as he sat in the pilot's seat. Keith hadn't piloted anything in so long he doubted his ability to live up to the former Red Paladin's expectations. No. King Alfor wasn't there anymore. His father was his enemy. He had no one putting pressure on him to exceed his father's expectations. All he needed to do was remember that.

The bay doors opened. Keith followed the rest of them out. It was instinct. His nerves were unraveling the longer he had control of his Lion. Memories flashed through his mind of teaching Lancel how to become a better pilot. He used to be one of the best pilots of Daibazaal. He had piloted his ship through much worse than what he was doing now. This was nothing for him so long as he relied on his instinct.

"Let's try to fly in formation." Shiro offered as he piloted his Lion in front of the rest of them. Right, he was part of a team now. A team he knew next to nothing about. Keith followed him, flying to Shiro's left with Lance on his own left. He could see Pidge and Hunk following suit on the other side of Shiro. They flew upwards in an attempt to combine when suddenly Keith felt his Lion being pulled out of his control.

"The beam is pulling us in. I can't break its hold." Keith shouted as he struggled to regain control over his Lion. Everyone else confirmed that they also couldn't break out of the hold of the beam. Keith felt himself losing hope as they grew closer to Senkak's ship. No, he couldn't go back there. Not after he had that small taste of freedom. He couldn't handle having Sendak sneering down at him and making him feel so worthless.

"No! We can do this; we have to believe in ourselves. We can't give up. We're the universe's only hope. Everyone is relying on us. We can't fail. We won't fail. If we work together, we'll win together." Shiro's speech encouraged everyone. Keith had to remind himself, once again, that they were a team now. If they could all focus then he was sure they would succeed. The rest of the team cheered, and the cheers of everyone gave more power to the lions. Before Keith felt his Lion break out of the beam's hold. He couldn't describe the feeling of his Lion shifting to prepare for the combination. It was surreal. King Alfor was right, there was no way to describe it. It felt like he was connecting to not only his Lion but the other Paladins as well. Like he wasn't there anymore but everywhere.

Fighting as one was harder than Lance had thought. They had to think like each other while moving Voltron. That was hard enough with the people he knew. He barely knew Shiro or Keith. Pidge was so secretive he doubted they would share their thoughts if they weren't asked. How was he supposed to think like them when he didn't know them?

Somehow they had managed to form Voltron. It must have been through sheer willpower. The weapons were more powerful together than they were separate. It took some time for them to gather their footing and get control of the robot. Their movements were clumsy and uncoordinated. Most of that was Lance's fault. He was so used to working by himself and relying only on himself that he almost couldn't rely on anyone else. Shiro's words ran through his mind again. He took a deep breath and forced himself to accept the other Paladins' help.

Once they had gotten the hang of it, after playing around with their controls, they were able to hit Sendak's ship with a powerful laser. The ship exploded. The explosion knocked it out of the sky. Lance doubted that anyone would be able to survive such a fall. The smoke was a dark grey as it billowed up into the sky. Yeah, it was unlikely Sendak survived that.

Returning to the Castle, they met Coran and Allura on the bridge. Each Lion was back in its respective hangar and resting. Keith was grateful they had been able to form Voltron, but it wouldn't be that easy next time. He felt like the Lions had treated them like they were children and walked them through that battle.

"Good work, Paladins. We succeeded today, but please understand you need to be able to form Voltron on a whim. I had planned on giving you the quintant off to rest, but I'm afraid you will all need to begin training immediately. You were a mess out there." Leave it to Allura to compliment and insult them all in one breath. She was right, but still, she could have toned back her attitude.

"We aren't a team like the original Paladins, Allura. It'll take time for us to trust each other. The way they did." Keith was far used to her attitude. She had insulted him the first time they actually talked. Now he knew it was how she showed she liked people. It annoyed the absolute shit out of him, but he knew she meant well. He just wasn't in the mood to deal with her at the moment.

"Then start with that." It wasn't the first time they had argued. It probably wouldn't be the last. Allura had a way of rubbing Keith the wrong way any time she spoke to him. He still considered her a friend, she was the sister of his soulmate after all, but most of the time, he couldn't stand her. Keith turned away from her and stormed off the bridge. He knew she had been trained as a diplomat, and she was the heir to her father's throne, but she knew better than to order him around. He was a soldier, or well, he had been a soldier; he only took orders from his commanding officer. He supposed that was Shiro now.

"Keith, wait!" It was Hunk. Keith paused in his stride to allow the other man to catch up with him. He was breathing heavily as he caught up to the Galran Paladin, which indicated that he wasn't in shape. Keith wasn't going to mention it - he was nothing now compared to his former self - he was in no position to bring up anyone else's health. Keith watched the Yellow Paladin catch his breath and waited for him to say anything as to why he stopped Keith.

"I was wondering if you were hungry. Coran said you didn't eat yesterday or today." Keith could feel the faint pang of hunger in his stomach and realized he didn't remember the last time he had actually eaten anything substantial. He was so used to not eating that he hadn't taken into account that others ate regularly.

"Uh...sure." Could his stomach even handle solid food? He supposed he wouldn't know until he tried. He saw Hunk smile. Keith didn't know how to react. Hunk raced in front of him with an excitement he hadn't seen since Lancel.

"Great! I was working on something before Sendak attacked, but...maybe you would prefer something easier on the stomach?" It was like Hunk could read his mind. Either that or he was just good at observation. Regardless, it was creepy. "Coran mentioned you lacked nutrients when you were in the healing pod. Apparently, that thing builds a medical analysis or something while you're in there."

Keith followed after him while the larger man talked. The Galra stopped focusing on his words and simply allowed himself to appreciate having the noise. It was different from Sendak's ship. There, all he had to listen to were the sounds around the ship. Footsteps, Sendak taunting him, Haxus apologizing every time he was pulled from his cell, Krolia filling him in on significant events in the Empire. Even though he had people talk to him, he hadn't had anyone invest in a conversation with him. Not like Hunk was now. Even if it was mostly rambling.

"Here, sit. I'll bring you food!" Hunk had taken them to the dining chamber rather than the kitchen. Keith guessed it was to make eating easier on him. Hunk vanished through a different door and left Keith alone. He sat at the table silently and merely waited. His thoughts drifted back to his argument with Allura a few dobashes ago. She was right, they needed to work on their teamwork before they tried to form Voltron again. That meant they had to get to know each other better. Or rather, they needed to get to know Keith and vice versa. He was sure they already knew each other reasonably well. 

"Is Hunk making you eat?" Shiro's voice startled Keith out of his thoughts. He glanced up and saw Pidge, Shiro, and Lance standing across the table from him. Lance was the first to approach the table and sit down, followed by Shiro and Pidge. Hunk returned with a bowl of food, which Keith immediately recognized as Coran's so-called food goo, and he nearly winced at the thought of eating it. At least it was food. If Keith's body rejected it later, he would simply blame the food.

"Is that Coran's goo? He's still making this gunk?" Still, Keith grabbed the spoon and put a small amount into his mouth. It tasted as leafy as he remembered but not nearly as bitter. Either he was that hungry, or the recipe had been improved. Lance let out a chuckle at Keith's reaction.

"I added a few things to improve it, so it didn't taste so…" Hunk tried to think of the best way to describe the food Coran made.

"Bitter? Sour? Plain disgusting?" Keith offered before taking another bite. It didn't taste as terrible as the first bite had. He felt his stomach grumble in appreciation. The way it used to when Sendak would finally give him food. He wiped that thought from his mind. There was no need to dwell on his previous captor. It wouldn't be good for his own health. Hunk laughed at his suggestions and simply nodded.

"What were you thinking about so hard? You didn't even notice us come in." Lance changed the subject. It probably wasn't what any of them had wanted to ask, but he was okay with playing that game. Avoiding the important questions but still getting his answers was a game Lancel was a master at.

"Allura's right. We need to work on our teamwork if we're going to form Voltron again." He continued eating slowly, allowing his body to get used to receiving food again. He didn't want to get sick if he could help it. "She's got the attitude many royals had when we were younger, and it annoys me, but she had a point."

"You mean her superiority complex?" Keith wondered if Pidge had any tone other than snarky and angry. It reminded him of his sister. He wasn't even sure what gender Pidge considered themself but their attitude and tone of voice reminded Keith of Bralae.

"Don't hold it against her. Most royals are taught they are more important than the people they were to rule. Even if King Alfor and Queen Melenor tried to avoid that with Allura and Lancel, the Council of Elders made sure they were taught that way. Being a leader has been ingrained in Allura's personality since she was old enough to walk. It often led to us arguing as you saw earlier." The thought of Allura's superiority complex being knocked down by Keith and Lancel almost made him smile. She used to get so angry at them, but neither had ever backed down from her challenges.

"You guys must have been really close," Shiro commented, bringing Keith's attention back to them. The other four Paladins were sitting around the table facing him. It almost felt like they were putting him on the spot.

"Not really. Her brother was my soulmate. I spent most of my time with him on Altea. Allura would sometimes watch us as we studied and practiced, but I rarely talked to her by herself. Lancel was usually with me whenever she came around." Keith shrugged. "The only time I can remember being around her without Lancel was when she was sent to Daibazaal for a diplomatic conference with her father. It was my job to accompany them from Altea to Daibazaal."

"You guys keep mentioning Allura's brother. What happened to him? Shouldn't he have been put to sleep along with Allura and Coran?" Keith grew silent, dropping his spoon against the bowl with a clang, and Lance immediately regretted his question.

"Zarkon killed him. Had he survived the wound, he most likely would have been put to sleep. It took too long to get him in a healing pod. He died before the Castle was even ready to be moved." Keith had watched his beloved die and could do nothing to stop it. The image of Lancel dead in the pod haunted him still.

"Zarkon is a monster who went to whatever lengths he needed to in order to break the alliance's spirit. Lancel was no match for him, but he still tried to fight him. If it hadn't been for Keith landing on Altea when he did, Lancel wouldn't have even made it into a pod." Allura was standing in the doorway, drawing everyone's attention. She moved around the table until she was directly next to Keith. She placed her hand in his. "Lancel loved you with his entire being. I haven't had long to mourn the loss of my family, but you've had ten thousand decaphoebs to dwell in it. My father once told me that Galra never get over the loss of a mate. I know you've been suffering the entire time you've been a prisoner. I won't tell you to get over it or forget about him. I am going to ask that you focus on the task at hand. We both have families to avenge."

"I should have died with him. It was by chance the druids found me in that meadow. If it had been anyone else…" Keith wanted to cry. He wanted to scream and shout until he was numb. Instead, he gripped her hand as if the touch would erase his emotions. He shouldn't be alive. Not while his soulmate was dead.

"If you had died, we wouldn't have anyone to pilot the Red Lion. I can't say I understand how you feel, but I do know this isn't what Lancel would want." Allura pulled Keith's head into her arms and brushed her fingers through his hair. Just like Lancel used to do for him. His eyes slipped shut. He felt his body relax for the first time since the war broke out.

"Now, we have a guest. A local Arusian is at the front gate. I would like you all to accompany me to greet him." Allura released Keith slowly and stood up. Keith also stood up to follow her.

"Actually, if you don't mind Allura, the prisoners Shiro and I saved should be waking up soon. I'd like to check on them and see if they have any information we could use." Pidge stood up and began walking out of the chamber before Allura could even process the question. Shiro was right behind them.

"I'll go with you. They may be able to help me with my memory." Allura sighed as the two left immediately. The rest of them met Coran by the entrance hall and walked out to meet the Arusian. He was hiding in a bush, but with some coaxing from Allura, he revealed himself, sword drawn and ready, to the five of them.

"I have come seeking answers as to why the Lion Goddess is angry with her followers." Klaizap, the name of the Arusian before them, replied to Allura's inquiry on what the Arusian was doing near the Castle.

"Lion Goddess?" Hunk asked curiously, holding back his coos over the small alien.

"The one the ancients spoke of." Allura immediately realized Klaizap was talking about her as he gestured to the lion statues near them. There were carvings on the stones next to them that told the story of the Castle landing on Arus.

"What makes you think she's angered?" Though she would not accept the title of goddess, she wanted to know what was wrong to bring an Arusian to their doorstep. Given the way he tried to sneak around the grounds, the Arusians probably stayed away from the Castle before.

"Destruction is everywhere. In the past few suns, fire has rained from the heavens, and a giant has danced in the sky." Lance sighed when Hunk not-so-quietly whispered to him that the Arusian was talking about Voltron.

"You have not angered the Lion Goddess." Allura tried to assure the small Arusian, but he still had doubt. Keith nearly laughed at the situation; it wasn't often Allura was exceptionally humble.

"I am Princess Allura, and this is my castle." The revelation caused the Arusian to bow to her, calling her the Lion Goddess, in response. "Please, bravest warrior, take us to your village so we may meet our neighbors."

Keith would have preferred them to focus on the preparations to leave Arus rather than visiting a village. Allura wasn't having it. They had much more important things to worry about.

"Arus has been our host for ten thousand phoebs. These people deserve our thanks."

Shiro felt strange hearing about how he had defeated the unbeatable gladiator in the arena while being captive but had no memory of the event. As he listened to the prisoners talk about him like he was some sort of God, he couldn't believe he would have harmed his own friend, someone who was also like a brother to him, just to enter a fight. As much as he hadn't wanted to remember, he hoped he would at least get the answer as to why he had done something so cruel. He had never been a violent person. Even now that they were in a war, he only wanted to attack when he had to. Shiro had been passing around drinks, food, and blankets to the prisoners when he realized that Sendak's ship had crashed on Arus.

Pidge followed him out after he announced that he wanted to see if they could get anything off of the crashed ship. They hadn't even bothered to tell anyone they were going. Shiro knew they were at the Arusian's village, thanks to Coran informing them before they had left. The Castle would be fine while they were gone.

Meeting the King of the Arusians was another event Keith wished he had avoided. The dance performed for them as some sort of apology was so...unlike anything Keith had ever seen. He was never one for dancing, but he could tell this was a strange one. Allura had tried to stop it only to upset the villagers even more.

"Let it be known that Voltron will protect every innocent being in the universe." Those words set off a party for the village; they had all cheered with excitement.

Keith found himself being hugged by one of the Arusians, and he was unable to ignore how cuddly they were. Hunk and Lance were also being embraced and cuddled by the Arusians.

"I don't usually hug strangers, but you are cuddly." He admitted as he rubbed the top of the horns protruding from the Arusian's head. The words sounded strange coming from him. He remembered Lancel referring to him the same way.

"Thank you." The Arusian's voice was deep, even for a man, given how small his body was. 

Allura and Coran were talking to the King as the paladins started playing with the Arusians. Keith was able to get the Arusian off of him and hung by Allura as she spoke with other Arusians. He was definitely not a diplomat and hated mingling.

"Team, come in, we need back up." Shiro's voice called from the comms. Allura's earrings acted as her comm system; Keith could hear it from where he stood by the tree. Looking up, he saw the flaming ball of...whatever enter the atmosphere. Allura quickly guided the Arusians inside while Keith shouted at Lance and Hunk to return to the Castle. Whatever had just entered the atmosphere was most certainly not friendly. Keith suspected it was Galra. No, scratch that. It was definitely Galra. Probably one of Haggar's monsters again.

As they ran back to the Castle, Keith realized just how far they had been from their lions. He was out of breath as he climbed into the cockpit and flew Red out to where the Lion had located Shiro and Pidge. He really needed to work out and get his stamina up again.

Keith blasted at the robot that had been attacking Shiro and Pidge to give them enough coverage to get out of the way of the beast. Keith honestly couldn't tell what it was that they were fighting. Here was too much dirt and smoke surrounding them.

"The only way we're going to beat this thing is if we form Voltron!" Shiro called out once he and Pidge were in the air. Forming Voltron had been easier the first time. It took them a few tries, dodging the monster's weapon as they did, before they had been able to form Voltron again.

Even with Voltron, they were no match for the beast. Every hit they gave was blocked, and they had nearly fallen on the Arusian village two times. Even with Keith's knowledge of Galra fighting techniques, they struggled. It was like the beast was toying with them as if this were a game.

"We need to get away from the village," Shiro commanded. Hunk and Lance guided them into more open ground. It only succeeded in keeping the village from being destroyed. They still hadn't figured out a way to fight the monster. Shiro froze up as he heard the sound of the monster's orb. Memories played in his mind like a movie.

"I recognize this monster from my time in Zarkon's prison. Listen, there's a loud sound every time that orb returns to the base of the weapon, and every third time that orb needs to charge up. That's this monster's weakest point. That's when we strike."

"Okay, so what do we do in the meantime?" Hunk asked worriedly, his eyes watching the monster closely.

"Defense. Pidge, we need that shield." With Shiro's guidance, the team was able to strike as the orb charged up. The attack didn't work well as the monster was still too strong for them. Their lasers did nothing more than brush the dust off of the beast.

"When I attacked him before, I had a sword." A part of Keith's Lion he hadn't noticed before lit up. He could almost feel Red's encouragement to insert his bayard in. He summoned his bayard.

"My Lion's trying to tell me something," Keith called out over the comms. Shiro encouraged him to do whatever it was. They were knocked down by the beast once more before Keith could figure it out. Keith growled as he forcibly inserted his bayard into the console and twisted, trusting Red's judgment. Doing so formed a sword that the team needed. They played the game once more, waiting until the beast was charging his weapon before striking again. In one slash of the blade, the monster went down for good. Keith should have felt better about the win, but it told him how much they needed to train. Together.

After dinner, Pidge was sitting on the roof of one of the towers of the Castle, watching the sunset when Shiro found them.

"Pidge?" He stopped just next to them but didn't sit.

"Why would you attack my brother? You were friends, weren't you?" Pidge hadn't looked up at Shiro as they asked. Still, he could tell they were near tears.

"During the fight, my memory of the event came back to me. I attacked him to save him. He would have never made it in the arena, but if he had been injured, he would have been sent elsewhere. I had hoped that he would be sent to wherever your father was, and they could take care of each other. I'm sorry. It's not much help but... it's possible that they're alive out there. We can't give up hope." Shiro wasn't prepared for Pidge to attack his legs in a hug. They hadn't gotten up from where they were sitting. Judging by the shaking of their shoulders, they were crying.

"Thank you, Shiro. I'm sorry I ever doubted you." Shiro waited until Pidge stopped crying before pulling them up so that they were standing.

"Let's go back inside. Allura wants to tell us something."

When they returned to the other Paladins, Allura announced she wanted to hold a party for the Arusians the next night.

"A sort of thank you to them for letting us stay on their planet for so long, as well as a parting gift. I would like to leave the next morning if possible." Allura explained though she could tell that all of the Paladins were hesitant. "I've already sent the invitation to the King."

"I guess we'll have to take tomorrow to prepare the Castle then. I had wanted to get some training in, but I guess it can wait one more day." Shiro was definitely not pleased with the decision but relented either way. Keith agreed with him. This was no time for a party, this was time to train and better themselves for war.

"It's getting late. We should all get some sleep. Can't prepare the Castle if we're all exhausted." Coran suggested, stopping any arguments that may stem from the topic. He could see the argument brewing in Keith's eyes. He would have argued with Allura if Coran hadn't given him a pointed look. Instead, he wished the others a good night and retreated to his chamber.

Lance pulled out his face mask and was about to begin applying it when he caught sight of his soul mark on his hip. When he was younger, he used to stare at it trying to understand what it meant. Was it a representation of his relationship with his soulmate or something else. Fire and water were opposite, did that imply he and his soulmate were opposite of each other?

He hadn't expected to see the exact same mark on an alien. Especially one who had already found their soulmate. Was he a stand-in for Keith's true soulmate? No, he wouldn't be. Keith wouldn't be able to love him the way he had loved Allura's brother. Lancel. Lance had dreamed about Lancel and Keith more times than he could count. He knew how deep their love ran. Lance refused to be a replacement. No matter how much he found himself desiring to get to know their new Galra teammate.


	4. To My Dying Breath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting a chapter today to celebrate my birthday (since I'm stuck at home) but I'll still post a chapter tomorrow to keep on schedule.

_“I love you, Lancel. To my dying breath.”_

_Standing from his position kneeling in front of the pod, Keith was surprised to see King Alfor standing in front of him. His armor was covered in blood and soot. His expression revealed how angry he was._

_“My son believed in you until the very end. I cannot say the same. You have nerves to come here as if you didn’t know what your father was planning.” Keith didn’t move as Alfor approached him. “I should have never trusted the Galra.”_

_Keith felt the sharp pain of a blade slicing through his flesh before he even realized what was going on. His blood soaked through his armor and clothing, sticking the material to his body as he struggled to breathe. He sunk back to his knees and tried to press his hand against his wound to slow the bleeding. All he could think of was that he couldn’t blame the Altean King._

_Keith hated remembering Lancel’s death. It was bad enough he hadn’t been there to protect him. Even though it had been thousands of decaphoebs since he and Lancel last laid on their bed together, Keith swore he could still smell him on the sheets. It had to be his imagination, his yearning to hold his mate once more. Even just his desire to not forget. He didn’t want to remember, yet, he didn’t want to forget Lancel. The memories hurt, forgetting hurt even more. Keith needed a distraction._

_The night cycle was nearly done. It was early enough Keith could get in a workout and a shower before he was expected for breakfast. He pulled on the workout clothes he used to keep in the Castle, surprised they were still in good condition after so long and walked down to the training deck._

_Lancel pulled Keith down to the cushions near it._

_"You can see most of Altea from this chamber, but this is my favorite spot to sit in. I can see the Juniberry flowers, the forest, and the bridge where our people cross to visit us. It was where I first noticed you and your father when you arrived. Just on the other side of that bridge is where your ship landed. I should have gone out to practice my studies in quintessence. Instead, I wanted to meet you." Lancel pointed to the area he was talking about. Keith followed with his eyes._

_"It's very calming up here." Keith agreed, staring out at the scenery in front of him. Just in the distance, they could see the tops of towers and other buildings. The view was beautiful._

_"I come up here when I want to get away from everyone. Allura knows about the clearing in the forest. That's usually the first place she looks in for me. Only my father knows of this chamber." Lancel hadn’t shown anyone his favorite spot. Keith was special. He wanted the Galra to be able to find him no matter what. "Did you know the Castle turns into a spaceship? I'm the one who wanted to learn how to pilot ships, but Allura is the one who got to learn."_

_"I did not know that...if you would like, I can teach you. I've been a pilot since I was young." Lancel felt his heart speed up at the idea of Keith teaching him to fly. Maybe it was just the thought of getting to spend more time with him. Lancel didn’t mind either idea._

_"I would love to have you teach me how to fly. I know the basics of piloting. Father made sure that if anything happened to Allura, I would be able to pilot the Castle as well. She was the one who got to take the longer lessons, however." Lancel stared out the window, sadness and jealousy overwhelming him._

_"I'm here for nearly a movement. We can find time for lessons. Surely the Festival won't last the entire time...and if it does, I'll simply stay longer."_

_"What about your father? Won't he be upset if you do not return when you're supposed to?" Lancel looked over at Keith. He was excited about the idea of Keith staying on Altea longer. Still, he felt worried over Keith simply ignoring his father's orders. Zarkon was not someone to ignore._

_"Father will be quite busy with Honerva and his newborn son long enough not to realize that I've returned. He probably wouldn't even realize I was missing until I returned anyways." Keith hadn't spoken much about his disdain for his father, even to his own sister. His tone indicated how unhappy he was about the situation. Lancel found himself feeling sad for the Galran Prince._

_"Stay with me...for at least a little longer?”_

Lance woke up from the dream with tears unshed in his eyes. It felt strange to be having dreams of someone he had never met when the other person was someone he knew. What would Keith think? What would Allura think? He felt like he knew so much about them, yet he had only just met them. With a heavy sigh, Lance pulled himself out of his bed and stumbled into the bathroom. It was still early in the morning, so it gave Lance the time to take a long shower before he met the others for breakfast.

Lance walked out of his room just as Keith did. The Galran’s hair was wet, and there were water droplets catching on the tips near his ears. Lance still fought the urge to touch his fluffy ears. His hair looked softer than his fur.

“Are you okay, Lance? You’re staring.” Keith had the ghost of a smile on his lips as he watched Lance jump and focus his attention again. He reminded Keith so much of Lancel; it was almost terrifying. Lance was attractive. He knew deep down that he could be attracted to someone else since he had never actually mated Lancel. He just didn’t want to believe it would happen.

“I uh...nothing. Just waking up still.” A lie if Keith had ever heard one. Lance’s hair was damp, indicating he had just taken a shower. Which meant he had probably been awake for at least twenty dobashes. He let it slide. Lance didn’t owe him any sort of explanation.

“Were you heading to breakfast? We can walk there together.” It was dangerous to actively put himself close to the very person who reminded him of his soulmate. Keith couldn’t stop himself as he fell into step next to Lance. Neither spoke as they walked to the dining chamber.

The day went by quickly as everyone chipped in to prepare the Castle for their guests. Coran and Hunk were on cooking duty, Lance and Shiro were on cleaning duty, and Pidge was helping Allura decorate. Keith bounced around and helped wherever he could. He supposed it helped keep him distracted.

Hunk had him taste test the food he had prepared while leaving Coran in charge of drinks. Keith advised against it before Coran shooed him out of the kitchen. Hunk had found the amusement in their antics but didn’t take the advice. Keith planned on going thirsty.

The moment Keith accidentally ripped one of the ribbons, Pidge kicked him out. He couldn’t blame them. He hadn’t really wanted to decorate in the first place. Allura simply laughed as the shortest member of the team chased her near brother out of the foyer. He ran out laughing, something he hadn’t done in decaphoebs.

Lance and Shiro were the only ones who had actually wanted his help. They had spent the morning cleaning the foyer before Allura and Pidge started decorating and had moved on to the entrance hall. It was a larger task than the foyer had been. Even with all three of them working, it had taken almost two vargas to finish. Keith had been about to leave to put the supplies away when Shiro stopped him.

“Keith, can I ask a question?” Keith tilted his head in question. “Why did the Galra take you prisoner in the first place? Weren’t you a prince?”

“It wasn’t about my status. I chose my soulmate over the Empire. Lancel and I were beginning a courtship, which for Alteans meant we were serious about forming a union. We had planned on formally mating when the courtship was over so that it would be recognized by the Empire as well. The war started before that. When I refused to fight against the Alteans and tried to help them, it was seen as a betrayal to the Galra.” His fists clenched slightly. Keith had wasted time helping Alteans escape instead of finding Lancel, and it resulted in his beloved’s death. He couldn’t just blissfully die next to him. No. The druids had to find him. After he was healed, he had been expected to fight by his father’s side. He refused. “Zarkon believed I knew where King Alfor had hidden the Lions or the Castle. He sent me to his witch, Haggar, for interrogation.”

“You were strong, though. You got out.” Lance sounded like he was trying to cheer Keith up. The topic was heavy, more substantial than they needed right before a party. Keith shivered as he thought about the torture techniques Haggar employed to break him. He should have known she wouldn’t stop. She forced Keith to relive losing Lancel for decaphoebs before finally sending him to Sendak. Sendak’s tactics had been worse than Haggar.

“I just didn’t have anything to tell them. I broke long ago. Haggar and Sendak know what they’re doing. I’m alive. That’s what matters.” Shiro wondered just what Keith had been through in his captivity. It had to have been worse than what Shiro did. Keith tilted his head back to look at the two human Paladins. “Any more questions? It’s almost time for the Arusians to begin arriving.”

Shiro stopped Lance before the other could even open his mouth. It was obvious Keith needed a break. He shook his head and watched as Keith walked away. There were a lot of questions Shiro still had, and even more that popped up during the conversation, but they would have to wait.

_“Do not fail me again, Sendak. Bring my son back to me.”_

Sendak growled lowly as the transmission ended. He had limited supplies and too few sentries to make a difference. Even his ship was destroyed beyond repair. How was he supposed to capture the Lions and the disgraced prince? It certainly wouldn’t be easy, but there was one way.

“Haxus, grab the crystal from the ship. We’ll need it to take over the Castle of Lions.” Up until he had laid eyes on the Red Lion for himself, Sendak believed the tales of Voltron were nothing more than a children’s tale. It was meant to scare their children into doing as they were told. It was why he had never asked his prisoner about it. If Voltron itself was real, then that must mean the Castle of Lions really was a ship as well. That would be how Sendak would deliver the Lions to his Emperor.

“I’ll also need a bomb.” Thankfully for him, Haxus was a genius. It made everything he was planning easier.

Sendak was a cruel and despicable commander. Haxus had seen him do anything he could to break the former Prince. It disgusted him as he watched his commander, his own soulmate, use and defile the prince’s body. It hurt him every time he cleaned the prince up from Sendak’s abuse while said prince cried. He kept that to himself. Sendak didn’t need to know his tactics were working. Haxus ignored when Krolia talked to the prisoner, telling him about events that were happening in the empire. He pretended like he hadn’t seen Krolia and the Blue Paladin sneaking through the halls of the ship with the unconscious prisoner. He had been almost happy to see the prisoner leave.

In the end, Sendak was more than Haxus’s commander. He was his soulmate, and Haxus would do almost anything to please him. That was why he did as he was ordered. It was why he used his genius to construct a bomb strong enough to knock the Castle’s power out.

Allura’s chamber was exactly how she had left it ten thousand decaphoebs prior. Right down to the pictures she had placed on her vanity and the jewelry her mother had given her when she was young. She had put on the pieces that looked best with the dress she had chosen for the evening. It used to be her mother’s. When Allura had reached the age of seventeen, Melenor had given it to her as a gift.

One of the pictures on her vanity was of her family. Her father and mother stood behind Allura and Lancel with a hand on each of their shoulders. The picture had been taken before Lancel had met Keith - before the trans-reality comet had hit Daibazaal. Back when the only thing Allura had to worry about was where she and her brother were going to play that day.

Next to that was a picture of Lancel and Keith. It was taken maybe a phoeb before the war had started when they announced their intention to court one another. The Galran Prince had swept her brother off his feet after their first meeting. Allura struggled to think of a single time in that decaphoeb where she had seen Lancel without Keith by his side.

Allura couldn’t have been happier for them. She just wished she had the chance to meet her own soulmate before Altea fell. She let out a depressed sigh before turning away and focusing on brushing through her hair. There was no use in dwelling on the past. It was a past she had wanted to hide from the new paladins. At least as much as she could, at least.

Keith put his armor on slowly. He remembered his first juniberry festival. Lancel helped him with the clothes King Alfor gave him to wear. He had been more comfortable in his armor than just clothes back then. Now, he felt uncomfortable in the armor. Maybe it was because the armor used to belong to the very man who had tried to kill him. A man he had seen as more of a father than he did his own father. He sighed. He couldn’t keep dwelling on the past. There was a war going on, and he was part of a team that could make a difference. He picked up the necklace he had given Lancel for his last birthday and put it on before walking out.

Sitting through the Arusian’s play - if he could call it that - was difficult. The acting was atrocious, and the story of their last win was overly simplified. Even then, the actors had gotten the end wrong and were corrected by the King very loudly. Allura stumbled in her gratitude to the King before swiftly moving on to whatever speech she had prepared.

He stood next to Lance and Hunk as he listened to the Arusians cheer after Allura gave her speech and provided the Arusian King with a communication device to contact them. Then they all broke off to enjoy the party except for the three of them.

Hunk suggested they also come up with a team cheer. Keith saw no point, but he wouldn’t stifle the humans.

“How about uh...I say Vol and you say Tron. Vol-” Lance paused and waited for someone to finish it.

“Uh...Voltron?” Keith finished curiously. Lance rolled his eyes at Keith’s inability to understand him before he swallowed everything in his cup in a single swallow.

Keith tried not to laugh as Lance complained about the taste to Coran, who simply brushed him off and moved onto Shiro. Lance was still gagging as Keith and Hunk went up to him to check on him. Cautiously, Keith lightly poked at Lance’s shoulder, only for the blue paladin to fall to the floor dramatically. It was Keith’s chance to roll his eyes. Doing so, he caught the sight of Shiro talking to Pidge.

As Keith was focused on Shiro, and talking to the Arusians around him, he failed to notice Lance’s mood drop while he spoke to Hunk. He looked back in time to see Lance walk up the stairs. Coran had followed him before Keith could come up with a reason to do so.

He certainly didn’t miss Pidge’s outburst before they walked outside, however. Shortly after, the two returned in deep conversation. A conversation that Keith, Hunk, and Allura were brought into rather quickly.

“What do you mean you want to leave?” Allura sounded more annoyed than worried after Pidge stated that they wanted to leave the team. Keith could understand where Pidge was coming from. Family was important. If he had the chance to see his sister again, Keith would take it. Allura would too if she was given the opportunity.

Lance sat on the bridge in the dark, lost in his thoughts about missing home and wanting to go back to Earth. He’d be lying if he said that was the only thing he was thinking about, however, as he worried about his recent dreams. Allura and Keith’s stories sounded familiar to him. As if he were watching those dreams unfold from someone else’s memory. Someone who called Allura his sister and Keith his lover. Lancel. The names and faces made more sense to him now that he had met Keith and Allura.

“Mind if I join you?” Coran asked, interrupting Lance’s thoughts.

“How far away from Earth do you think we are, Coran?” Lance asked, goading the adviser to open the star map and show him. Lance felt even worse as he watched Coran move the map farther and farther away from where Earth was located on it.

“Do you ever notice how far the planets are from each other, Coran?”

“Yes, haven’t you been paying attention.” Coran began moving the map back towards the Milky Way Galaxy as Lance came to stand next to him.

“Yeah, but I mean like they’re really, really far away. Like Earth, it’s so far I can’t even see it. The blue oceans, the white clouds, green grass. I can’t see any of it…” Lance trailed off as he looked down at the floor, depressed.

“You miss Earth. I understand. I miss Altea.” It was different, though. Coran couldn’t return to Altea. Lance could return to Earth.

“I know we’re supposed to be the brave paladins and defenders of the universe or whatever, but honestly, I just want to go home.” Lance was just using this depression to skid over the thoughts he didn’t want to think about.

“If I could go home, I would.” Coran was becoming more homesick as he talked to Lance about his home.

“I miss rain and splashing in puddles.” Coran questioned what rain was as he looked back up at the map. “Yeah, it’s water that falls from the sky.”

“Oh! We had that back on Altea only it wasn’t water, it was rocks. Razor-sharp and boiling hot. Oh, they could knock a hole right in your head.”

“It...it used to damage the Juniberry flowers when a storm came, didn’t it?” Lance couldn’t ignore it any longer. He needed to tell someone about the dreams he had.

“Yeah, the gardeners used to worry themselves out when a storm erupted. Wait, how do you know about that?” Coran turned to Lance with shock.

“I’ve been having strange dreams. I knew when I met Allura that I had seen her before. In my dreams.” He paused for a moment and smiled softly. “I know it sounds cheesy, but I think I was meant to catch her when she emerged from the sleeping pods. I keep dreaming about her brother.”

“You’re dreaming about Lancel?” Coran’s shock wasn’t about to wear down any time soon.

“His life at least. He was the Prince, wasn’t he? And he fell in love with Keith. They met outside of the Castle on Altea by the juniberry meadow.” Coran’s eyes widened as he put two and two together. Lance couldn’t possibly know how Keith and Lancel met. Even Coran hadn’t known that until Lancel announced they were going to court each other. Still, if he looked hard, Lance did look a lot like the deceased Prince Lancel. If his hair was white and his skin was just a tone or two darker, he would be the spitting image of the prince.

Could it be…? Coran would have to talk to King Alfor.

“Yes, Prince Lancel was in love with Keith. At the time, Keith was the Prince of the Galra Empire and was in line for his father’s throne. However, we can talk more about this later. We should return to the party before someone comes looking for us.” Coran started to lead Lance out of the bridge and back to the party as he spoke. As they were exiting the room, the drone that Pidge had repurposed for their own usage flew by them.

“Hey, Rover.” Lance greeted as if the drone understood him. He paused as a thought dawned on him. “Wait, where’s Pidge?”

Lance turned just in time to see the drone’s energy turn from blue to red, and it started to beep ominously. He wasn’t sure how he knew, but he immediately jumped between it and Coran.

“Coran, look out!”

An explosion shook the entire Castle. The Arusians fled immediately, screaming in terror as they went, and the power went out, shrouding them all in darkness. Something had happened to the crystal that powered the Castle - Allura knew something had gone terribly wrong. The Paladins and Allura ran up to the bridge as quickly as they could, where the source of the Castle’s power was held. Smoke and debris filled the air. Coran sat up in the middle of it all.

“What happened?” Shiro asked as he and Hunk kneeled next to him to help keep him stabilized. Shiro’s voice sounded muffled through the ringing in Coran’s ears. His head ached as he tried to keep his eyes open so he could see. What had happened? Coran couldn’t remember. He remembered talking to Lance, and they were about to return to the party then...his head was beginning to ache more.

“I’m not...sure.” More smoke cleared to reveal the broken crystal on the ceiling. Slowly, it cleared the floor for the group to see Lance passed out in the middle of the floor. Keith saw him first; Allura reacted before him.

“Lance!” Allura cried but made no move to go to his side. It was like she was seeing her brother on the floor just like she had ten thousand decaphoebs ago. The circumstances were different, but there was a large part of her who was afraid of losing Lance, just like she had lost her brother. Keith, broken from his shock, pushed past her unnecessarily roughly to get to the Blue Paladin’s side. The back of his head and neck leading down into his armor and flight suit were sticky with blood. Keith could feel how hot it was through his gloves. The dark red against the white of Lance’s armor brought Keith back to his short but terrifying time on Sendak’s ship, where he had much of his blood spilled.

“Lance? Lance!” He called the other’s name, but Lance didn’t wake up. Keith doubted he would, given how badly the blast had injured him.

“We have to get Lance to the infirmary!” Pidge, who Keith thought had already taken off in search of their family, insisted as they looked up to Allura. Truthfully, Keith was glad they were there still.

“Without the crystal, there’s no power,” Allura stated. Panic was setting in; Keith pushed it down. They would figure this out. They had to; they had to save Lance. Just like Lance saved Keith from Sendak.

“He doesn’t look good,” Shiro commented as he left Coran’s side, who was now leaning against Hunk for support while he stood to get a better look at the fallen Paladin. He kneeled next to Keith and Lance and tried to look at his injuries without moving him too much. Each movement brought more blood from his wounds. Pidge was right; they needed to get him to the infirmary and into a pod.

“Lion Warriors! Our village is under attack. We need help!” The king of the Arusians shouted as he ran into the chamber. Keith gritted his teeth as he looked up at the Arusian. Of course, the village would be attacked when they didn’t have power. He wanted to scream that there were other more critical emergencies; he held his tongue.

“Let’s split up. Coran, what needs to be done to get the power back on?”

“We’ll need a whole new crystal, and those can only be found on a Balmera. To get there, we’ll need a ship, and we’re locked out of the Lions’ Hangars.” Coran explained, pushing himself off of Hunk. He was still in pain, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been previously now that adrenaline rushed through his veins.

“The pod I was loading, we can use that. I left the bay door open.” Pidge offered, shifting their gaze from Shiro, Keith, and Lance to Coran and Hunk.

“Hunk, you come with me. I’ll need someone strong to help me with the Crystal.” Coran ordered, ignoring Hunk’s questions about what a Balmera was. Pidge and Hunk followed after him as he left the chamber. There was no time to waste answering questions.

“I’ll go to the Arusian village.” Keith offered, though he hadn’t wanted to hand Lance off to Shiro. Shiro didn’t have his bayard, so he would find it harder to fight if there were Galra near. Not to mention how much Lance looked like Lancel at the moment; Keith simply wanted to protect him.

“I’ll go with you.” Allura’s tone left no room for argument. “I brought this on the poor Arusians.”

“I’ll stay here with Lance and keep watch over the Castle.” Shiro finished, though he knew that his role was implied.

Hunk glanced up from the map that was guiding them to the nearest Balmera. He still didn’t know what a Balmera was other than the place Alteans used to get energy crystals from. Coran wouldn’t tell him anything else about their destination.

“Hey Coran, can I ask you something?” Hunk asked, putting all of his focus on the man next to him. Coran was focused on piloting the ship and keeping them alive while they were in the middle of nowhere space.

“Of course, Number Two.” Coran had named each of the Paladins based on their heights. Since Hunk was just a few inches shorter than Shiro, he was known to the man as “number two” rather than his actual name.

“Keith and Allura seem to have a very...complicated relationship. Is it wise to let them go by themselves to the Arusian village?” It wasn’t like Hunk didn’t trust either of them, but they argued more than they got along. He could only imagine the sort of damage they would do if they disagreed at the village. Coran laughed at him.

“Keith and Allura are so similar it’s frightening. Both were raised with the purpose of taking over their fathers’ positions as rulers. They’re both headstrong and refuse to give up their ideals. It was by chance that Keith’s ideals paired so nicely with those of many on Altea. Both also would do anything for the people they cared about, and they had Lancel in common. Allura actually interrogated Keith about his intentions with Lancel, a decaphoeb after they met. That was how they announced they were going to enter a courtship. Allura challenges Keith to be the person Lancel thought he was. Keith challenges Allura to keep an open mind.” Coran’s explanation was long-winded as they usually were. Hunk didn’t expect any less from the man.

“They argue a lot for people who are supposed to be friends.”

“Yes, they do. But if there were anyone who could bring people together, it would be the two of them. They learned it from Lancel.” Coran’s tone was far away like he was reminiscing over the past again. He probably was. Hunk dropped the rest of his questions and allowed Coran the peace to remember his past.

The village was on fire. No one had been hurt since the fire started before the villagers returned from the party, but that didn’t mean they hadn’t lost their homes. The strange thing to Keith was, there was no sign of life besides the villagers. No one around to protect the villagers from.

The fire seemed like a weak attack for the Galra - they preferred killing and conquering more than mindless destruction. They had nothing to gain from setting a harmless village on fire. Unless...

“The Castle! We need to get back to the Castle now!” He shouted as he raced out of the village. This had only been a distraction. The Galra had no reason to harm the village at all, but they did have reason to attack the Castle. Allura was hot on his heels, asking what he had discovered.

“It was a distraction. We’ve left the Castle wide open to attack.” Shiro was there, but alone he couldn’t do a lot to stop the Galra if they decided to attack them. Allura didn’t answer as she continued to race behind him.

Both stopped in their tracks as they saw the power turn back on. Instead of the calming blue Keith had gotten used to, it was an eerie purple. The same shade of purple the Galra had on their ships. The same shade of purple he had spent most of his life around. Mere ticks later, a particle barrier was erected in front of them.

They were too late.

“No!” Keith screamed, fists pounding on the barrier as if that would break it. He needed to get in there, not just to protect the Castle but...Lance was still injured. Keith needed to be there for Lance, just like Lance had been there for Keith. He had a debt to pay. He needed...he needed to make sure that Lance didn’t get hurt by the Galra.

“Keith, that’s not going to help. We need someone on the inside to get the barrier down.” Allura had to physically pull Keith away from the barrier to calm him down. Her worry for Lance was overshadowed by her worry for Keith. Did he also see the resemblance Lance had to Lancel? Was that why he was struggling so much to get inside? To protect him?

Watching Keith scream about needing to get inside, she understood more about him. He had been hurting over Lancel’s death far longer than Allura. She had always been wary of Keith and his intentions with her brother, but she had watched as he taught Lancel how to pilot better and gave him tips on how to defend himself. Lancel, in turn, had taught Keith about quintessence and how to harness it for himself. He taught the Galran Prince how to show his emotions and recognize when they changed. Lancel taught Keith how to live. Allura hadn’t seen anyone more in love than the two of them. It made her jealous at first. By the time Zarkon’s youngest son was born only two phoebs after Lancel met Keith, Allura had seen Keith as much a part of her family as Lancel was. And...she had lost one to the war and the other to the Galra.

She wouldn’t lose either of them now. Or Shiro. Or Hunk. Or Pidge. And certainly not the Lions. Whoever had taken her castle would pay for putting her friend - her family - in such danger.

_“Princess? Keith? Can you hear me?”_ Pidge’s voice over the comms broke Allura out of her thoughts. She gasped, releasing Keith from her hold and staring up at the Castle behind the barrier. Keith gasped at the sound of Pidge's voice and stared up at the castle as well.

“Pidge? Where are you?” Keith asked softly as if his voice would carry through the barrier and into the Castle. Allura had hope building in her chest. If Pidge was still in the Castle, then maybe they had a chance. If she was able to guide Pidge through the castle so they could disarm the particle barrier and let Allura and Keith in, then they had hope. Especially if Pidge was contacting them while Shiro had been unable to.

_“I’m inside the Castle...somewhere in the vents. Sendak has taken control of the Castle and even has Shiro and Lance hostage. From what I heard, he plans on flying the Castle straight to Zarkon.”_ Fear shattered his resolve at the mention of Sendak; bile rose in his throat. He’d hoped he would never have to see the commander again. Allura ignored him as he fell to the ground against the nearest rock.

“We need to stop the launch. We can’t let Sendak take the Castle to Zarkon. Pidge, can you get down to the main energy control panel? We need to disconnect the primary turbine from the central energy chamber. Then Sendak will need to reset the system. Once he does, Keith and I can get inside to try and stop him.”

_“Just tell me where to go.”_ Allura needed to take charge. She wasn’t the leader her father had been, but no one knew that Castle better than she did. She could guide Pidge through the Castle better than even Coran.

“Alright, first figure out where you are now, and we’ll go from there.”

Shiro had fought his hardest to keep Sendak and his crew from taking over the Castle. It was his first time actually seeing Sendak face to face, but he quickly realized he was no match for the commander. What could he have done? Sendak’s soldier held Lance in his hands as if he were a mere twig. Easy to break into smaller pieces. Shiro had allowed himself to be caught if only to save Lance. The thought didn’t sit easy with him.

He didn’t know what was worse, listening to Sendak talk about his plans to take the Castle of Lions or actually watching him put his plan into motion without being able to stop him, regardless of how slow his plan was unfolding. It was going to take time for the Galra crystal to sync up with the Castle enough to prepare for launch. He had insisted that there was no way any of Shiro’s teammates would be able to stop it from happening. It seemed like this was the end of their fight. Lance was heavily injured, and Shiro couldn’t be sure he had stopped bleeding. For all he knew, Coran and Hunk could be on their way back with a new crystal. They could also have not even made it to the Balmera yet. Coran hadn’t been sure how far away it would be until they got in the pod. Keith and Allura weren’t inside the Castle either - they were probably still protecting the Arusian Village.

In all, they were hopeless.

The Balmerans were strange, but then Hunk wasn’t sure what he had expected. They cared about their home and hadn’t wanted to give up the crystal so easily to Hunk and Coran. It made sense. The Galra had been harvesting them nonstop since before many of the Balmerans could remember. Helping someone else instead of the Galra could lead to trouble for them.

“The Balmera gives herself freely to all. In days of old, those who took crystals from the great Balmera gave back through the rejuvenation ceremony. Now the Galra only take and never give.” The elder of the family that had saved them explained as she collected their empty dinner dishes.

“That’s right. King Alfor used to perform the ceremony every time Alteans took a crystal from the fine beast. It didn’t matter how big or small the crystal was.” Coran added, the far-away look in his eyes, indicating he was thinking about his time before the cryopod.

“Can you perform the ceremony, Coran?” Hunk asked, hopefully. He really wanted to get that crystal and get back to the Castle as soon as possible.

“Negative Number 2. Only Alteans with special quintessence can perform the ceremony. Those who are able to connect with the Balmera’s life force. Princess Allura may be able to do it. Unfortunately, we don’t have the time to get her and return.” Coran realized the mistake he made by not bringing Allura with them to get the crystal.

“If we promise to return with someone who can perform the ceremony, can we take the crystal?” Hunk asked, diverting his attention to the Balmerans before him.

“You would have to get the crystal to your ship and get off the Balmera without the Galra succeeding in killing you,” Rax replied, his tone disbelieving and angry.

“If we manage to do so and promise to return within a movement to perform the ceremony, will you help us get to the crystal? We ask no more than that of you.”

“Well…”

“Sir, I’m detecting a transmission originating from inside the castle.” Sendak’s general announced as he played the wavelength for the commander. Pidge. Shiro had nearly forgotten that Pidge hadn’t left the Castle with Hunk and Coran. Keith and Allura had left before Coran even left the Castle too, so there was no way they were with them. That meant they were still inside the Castle.

_“I’m nearing the juncture. Left or right?”_ The answer wasn’t automatic, but it gave Shiro hope.

_“Left, left, then right. That’ll take you exactly above where you need to be.”_ Pidge was keeping their location as secretive as they could. It sounded like Allura was doing her best to do the same.

_“You’ll need to be careful when you drop down. There isn’t much room to land.”_ That was Keith. The village must be okay then.

“Pull up a layout of the Castle. I want to know where this Paladin is!” Sendak was angry. He’d be even angrier when he realized that there were many junctures in the vents. Shiro had studied the layouts of the Castle, trying to figure out the layout so he didn’t get lost every time he wanted to go somewhere. He had a feeling he knew where Pidge was headed, but Sendak stared at the layout incredulously. There were too many vents in the Castle to be able to pin precisely where Pidge was.

“Search the castle. Find that Paladin, Haxus! And find me my prisoner!” The lieutenant saluted his commander before taking the three sentries that were still with them and ran off to perform his task.

Shiro had to hide his smile. They still had hope. It was in the form of the youngest Paladin dressed in green and white. Pidge was a genius that was on par with their father and brother. If anyone could outsmart the Galra, it was Pidge.

Pidge could only do so much to keep the Castle from launching - and they knew that in doing so, they were sabotaging their own leave from the planet. There was no way for them to disrupt the power indefinitely without dislodging the Galra crystal. They assumed it was on the bridge just like the Altean one had been located. Not only that, but Pidge had also been hiding from the Galra soldiers who were inside the castle as well. It was harder than Allura had made it seem.

Allura wasn’t even talking to them anymore. She wasn’t guiding them on what to do or where to go. The connection must have cut out. Pidge felt lost. No. They were better than this. They were Katie Holt, daughter of Sam Holt and sister to Matt Holt. They had gotten into the Garrison through their skill and intellect alone. There was nothing they couldn’t do when they set their mind to something.

No longer would they need help to figure this out. Pidge would find a way to disrupt the flow of energy to the Castle. Think...what would Coran do? Pidge had to keep themselves from screaming out in excitement as they figured out exactly what they needed to do. They needed to get to the control panel and shut that down. Then Sendak wouldn’t be able to launch if the power wasn’t flowing through the castle. That would bring the particle barrier down as well.

Pidge raced through the vents, using the layout of them from their memory and what little of the ship was mapped out in their armor as a guide to where they needed to go. Since they no longer had the assistance of Allura or Keith, they would have to make due the best they could.

Shutting down the control panel was another task Pidge hadn’t been prepared for. The Castle was already in its launch sequence; time was short. Pidge would need to figure out which of the wires they would need to disconnect. The problem they had was that each of the labels was in Altean, a language they didn’t know. Later, they would help Coran with fixing the panel. Right now, Pidge had only a short time and no idea which wires to disconnect. So they destroyed them all. They ran as fast as they could right after. The particle barrier needed to be disconnected next.

When Allura lost communication with Pidge, she decided to try a different method. She was certainly not giving up on her Green Paladin. Pidge was smart. They would find a way to get back in communication with them. Still, Allura had an idea of how to get the barrier down without endangering Pidge more than she already had.

Concentrating hard, Allura pleaded with the mice she had befriended after waking up from the sleep pod. It took a little bit of convincing, but eventually, the mice agreed and Allura could see their journey in her mind. She just hoped they got there in time.

Pidge realized that they were being followed when sentries attacked them on their way out to the generator chamber. They were able to trap most of them in the invisible maze on the training deck, thankfully. However, one had chased them through the vents until Rover knocked it down to the bottom of the vent system. From there, all they had to do was find another way to get into the generator chamber - the vents were their only hope.

Pidge had managed to overheat the system and was about to short circuit the generator when they heard footsteps behind them. There was no chance to hide before the Galra soldier saw them. Pidge was ready for a fight, but the soldier simply walked to the console, ignoring them completely. Pidge was surprised when the generator stopped, and the man turned to them.

“You are friends with Keith, are you not? Pass along a message to him for me.” He pulled his armor off his arm and looked at his wrist, eyes conflicted. It was a soul mark. Pidge could almost see it from their position in front of them. “Krolia is fine. She was moved to a different ship before the commander’s first attack on your castle. I hope he is able to find his peace with all that has been done to him. Maybe his soulmate again as well.”

_“Haxus report in.”_ Sendak’s voice brought anger to Pidge. They were already angry. Sendak pissed them off more. He was the one who had hurt their friends, who had put them in danger for nothing more than his own glory. Haxus ignored his commander and walked over to the edge, where the generator was suspended.

“There is one way to stop Sendak, Paladin. He’s weak right now, still recovering from the injuries your Blue Paladin gave him. Cut his prosthetic off, and he’s not as strong.” Pidge could almost see the tears on his cheeks as he stepped off the ledge and fell. Their eyes widened. Did that just happen?

_“Haxus, report in now.”_ Sendak was impatient. Pidge walked over to the console slowly.

“Haxus is gone, and you’re next!” Pidge had nothing to back those words up with. Alone they could only do so much.

_“This ship is mine. You will turn yourself over to me immediately!”_ Whatever Sendak had expected, it wasn’t the response Pidge gave. _“Maybe your leader can convince you.”_

Shiro’s voice through the transmission quelled that anger. At least until they heard Shiro’s screams cut off his sentence. It hurt. Shiro had been a hero to Pidge - hell he was a hero to many of the cadets in the Garrison - he was the one who gave them hope that they would find their family. Shiro was family.

_“You can make it stop. Turn yourself in. His suffering is in your hands.”_ No, it was Sendak’s fault Shiro was in pain. Pidge wouldn’t turn themselves in. Not until Keith and Allura were inside.

Hunk and Coran avoided shots fired after them as they left the Balmera’s atmosphere. It had taken more than Hunk had expected, but they had managed to get the crystal on their ship and escape with little damage to them or their ship.

“Allura can do the ceremony, right Coran? We didn’t just promise the Balmerans something we can’t provide?” Hunk was worried. He had never seen an entire race of people enslaved like that. Read about it, sure, but never seen it firsthand. He wanted to help them as much as he wanted to save Lance.

“Of course she can. She has royal blood in her. We just have to return before the end of the next movement to complete the ceremony.” Coran wanted to see the creature he had come to admire so much free and healthy again. The booster fuel was running low, but Coran wanted to get as close to the Castle as he could before it ran out. He urged the pod to go faster. His friends were in danger.

Between the efforts of both the mice and Pidge, the barrier went down. Keith and Allura immediately ran inside and headed straight for the bridge. The sight that met them was one Allura hoped she would never see. Pidge was being held in the air by their head and shoulders in Sendak’s large claw-like fingers. Behind him were Lance and Shiro - Shiro was conscious but seemed to be unable to move much. Keith gritted his teeth to stop himself from vomiting at the sight of Pidge and Sendak. He knew the kind of damage those claws could do. The blood they were eager to spill. Sendak would hurt no one else if Keith could stop him.

Whatever Sendak had tried to say or threaten was interrupted by a shot from behind. Keith would have cried at the sight of Lance holding his rifle if it wasn’t for the fact the man lost consciousness immediately after Pidge fell to the floor. Shiro stood up and kicked at Sendak, his attempt at keeping the Galra commander from harming Lance more. His legs shook under him, causing him to be thrown back by Sendak easily.

Keith looked over at Pidge and nodded. They both knew what needed to be done. Pidge hadn’t relayed Haxus’s message, but they knew Keith knew the danger of the situation. With that arm, Sendak was too strong. The sight of it still unnerved Keith. He raced towards the commander, sword at the ready, and barely was able to distract him long enough for Pidge to come in and slice his arm off. Keith tried not to smirk. The battle wasn’t over. Pidge and Keith needed to distract Sendak while Allura did whatever it was she planned. Right after Pidge electrocuted Sendak, Keith hit him with his blade again, followed by a punch. It didn’t have to do damage. It just had to hold him in place.

“Keith! Now!” Keith had absolutely no idea what Allura was planning. Regardless, he kicked Sendak away from him and closer to the Galran crystal. A forcefield, unlike the particle barrier, spread around him. Allura sent electricity shooting down the barrier. The shock brought Sendak to his knees right up against the barrier. The longer he touched it, the more the current went through his body until he lost consciousness.

Pidge cut the cuffs restraining Shiro. His robotic arm fell to his side, limp as if it had lost power. Shiro offered them a reassuring smile before turning his gaze to Lance. Keith was by his side already, holding him steady as Lance woke up once more.

“Lance, are you okay?” Of course, he wasn’t, but Keith needed to know if he had received any other injuries.

“We did it. We are a good team.” That smile was soft but proud. Keith wanted to see it more often and, at the same time, wanted to hide it away so only he could enjoy it. He returned it with his own.

“Come on, let’s get your armor off. As soon as Hunk and Coran return with the new crystal, we’ll put you in a pod.” Keith helped Lance up, letting him lean on him as they did, and walked with him down to the infirmary.

The changing of the energy glow was what told Keith that Coran and Hunk had succeeded. Lance was already stripped down to his flight suit and cleaned of whatever blood Keith could get off without hurting him more. Allura walked in to set the pod up just as Keith dropped the last rag into the trash.

“Let’s get you healed up, alright?” Keith helped Lance into the pod - the same one he had been in only three days prior - while Allura spoke. Pidge and Shiro had followed her in; the three of them watched as she set the pod to begin healing Lance.

“After a quintant in here, he should be fully healed.” Allura stared at Lance as if he was going to wake up suddenly. Her brother had always hated the pods. She wondered if Lance would too. “Shiro, are you sure you don’t need any medical attention?”

“I’m fine, Princess.” Shiro tore his gaze from the pod and looked over at Pidge, standing farther from the pod than the rest of them. He sighed before he began saying what had been on his mind since the end of the battle.

“Pidge, we can’t thank you enough for all that you did. I can’t help but feel that you were meant to be a part of our team...but I understand if you want to leave.” He could see that Pidge was torn up about his words.

“Dad used to tell me how close he was with his crew members. They were like family. Now, I understand what he was talking about. Seeing Lance so injured and Shiro...your screams when Sendak tried to force me to surrender made me realize what’s at stake. I’m staying with you guys. Let’s stop Zarkon for all of our families. They’ve already hurt too many of us.” Pidge tried to offer a smile to each of the Paladins and the Princess before them. Their gaze stopped on Keith. The first of their friends who had been hurt by the Galra.

“Good to have you back on the team,” Keith reassured them that all was right between them again. They would all live to fight another day…and one day they would take Zarkon down. Pidge’s smile turned to one of gratitude as they stared up at the elder paladin.

“Oh yeah, before I forget, the soldier that was with Sendak, Haxus, had a message for you, Keith. He said Krolia is fine, moved to a different ship, and he hopes you find your peace.” Pidge hadn’t been sure it would be a good idea to pass the message along. The smile Keith gave told them they had made the right choice. Still, he was curious about why Haxus would betray the Empire like he had.

“Thank you, Pidge.” He didn’t explain; they supposed it wasn’t something he wanted to talk about.

"Let's give Lance some time to heal. It'll take a quintant for him to heal." Allura insisted, sending the team out of the infirmary. Keith was the last to go after he paused to look at Lance's pod one more time. Lance would be alright. He knew deep down he would be. His smile was still on his lips as he left the infirmary behind Allura.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments
> 
> Edited 12/15/2020 for clarity


	5. Lost

Keith was worried. Lance should have woken up already. Allura and Coran had both insisted he would be fine, but Keith wasn’t so sure. There was no denying Lance reminded him of Lancel. Seeing him in a healing pod and not waking up sent him back to the day he had lost his soulmate. The image haunted him, even while he was awake. It was as if meeting Lance had brought those memories to the forefront of his mind no matter what he was doing.

Coran had checked on Lance maybe half a varga ago. Allura and Shiro had been there that morning checking on him. So far, he hadn’t seen Hunk or Pidge, but he wouldn’t be surprised if they had visited too. No one stayed. If...when Lance woke up, Keith wanted someone to be there for him. 

_“Where are we going?”_

_“You’ll see!” Lancel replied excitedly as he pulled Keith through the forest. It was apparent that Lancel had explored this forest vastly since he seemed to know exactly where he was going. Keith seemed to be struggling behind the Altean Prince. Lancel jumped over a fallen branch and pulled Keith with him. The Altean wasn’t expecting Keith’s boot to slip on the moss-covered branch, but Lancel caught him with ease._

_“Aren’t you a soldier of the Galra? You should be able to run through a forest like this with ease.” Lancel teased him as he helped him stand straight and let him go._

_“We don’t have forests like this on Daibazaal. My training was on how to fight, not how to run.” Keith replied, embarrassed. Lancel hadn’t wanted to let go of the Galran Prince. He could still feel the touch of his skin on his hand. A glance back at Keith showed the touch had affected him too. His cheeks heated up in a blush that turned his light purple skin to a deep violet._

_“I’ve heard that Altea has some of the most beautiful scenery in our galaxy. This is just a small part of that scenery, so if you want to see it all, we should keep going. I want to show you all I can.” Lancel grabbed Keith’s hand again and started pulling him towards wherever he wanted to show him. When they arrived a dobash later, Lancel heard Keith’s breath hitch. There was a water well in the center of the clearing and different types of flowers around it. Lancel pulled him to the middle of the clearing and sat down, pulling him with him. Keith softly growled as he fell into the flowers next to Lancel. He rolled over onto his back to look up at the sky above them. He could feel the rays of the sun hit his face; it brought a smile to his face. Lancel enjoyed the look far more than he expected._

_“You look better with a smile on your face,” Lancel stated as he looked over at Keith, a smile on his own face._

_“I could say the same to you.” Was he flirting? Did Galra even flirt? It sure sounded like Keith was. The Galran’s words made Lancel’s smile brighten._

_“Tell me about yourself. How do you spend your free time? What do you like to do?” Lancel wanted to know as much as he could about Keith._

_“I’m a soldier under my father’s direct command.” Keith seemed embarrassed to speak of himself. His response was shy and slow. “I like practicing my piloting skills when I can. And practicing my fighting techniques.”_

_“Interesting, I only know the basics of piloting. Just enough to fly the Castle should I need to.” Lancel was curious to know what kind of techniques Keith used when fighting. He decided he would ask about that later - assuming they would see each other again._

_“Come on I have more I want to show you.” Lancel stood up and reached out a hand to the Galran prince. Keith didn’t hesitate this time as he grabbed the Altean prince’s hand and allowed himself to be pulled up._

For the first time since he was a child, Lance remembered the entirety of his dream in vivid detail. Before, he could only remember bits and pieces of them, small snippets of conversations or memories that he didn’t remember having, along with knowledge of a society that he had never even heard of. He knew the names and saw the faces but had never met the people.

The hiss of the pod sounded as the door opened in front of Lance. His head still hurt some, and he felt the overwhelming exhaustion of being injured ache in his bones. Keith was the only one in the infirmary when Lance opened his eyes.

“Lance!” Keith’s voice was loud in Lance’s ears. He was thankful that the others weren’t there at the moment. He needed to get his mind together before he saw the other Paladins and the princess. Keith was peaceful, though. He was good company.

“Have you been waiting here for me to come out of the pod?” Lance asked as he stepped out of the pod. His legs felt weak and shook when he put weight on them. Keith was there to hold him steady when he almost fell down.

“I didn’t want you to wake up by yourself. Come on, let’s get you changed and some food.” Lance was sure there was more to it than that, but he was silent as Keith guided him out of the infirmary. As they made their way down to Lance’s chamber, Keith kept a firm grip on Lance’s shoulders and allowed the Blue Paladin to lean on him. “Everyone else is down in the kitchen. Hunk has been working on something new with the food goo.”

Keith found it almost strange to be in his old bed-chamber. Especially now that Lance was using it rather than him. He didn’t leave as Lance stripped from his flight suit and changed into his regular clothes. He was slow, his skin tugging on the scarred tissue as he stretched his left arm out too far. He tried not to stare, tried not to even look at Lance while he was so exposed, but it didn’t stop him from catching a glance of Lance’s back while he was checking to make sure Lance was still okay. He knew what he would see, he’d seen plenty of injuries in his lifetime, but it still took him by surprise. Lance’s shoulder blades had a jagged but thin white line racing across them. It looked like a sideways lightning bolt. Even with it, he thought Lance looked beautiful.

Keith knew that Lance was slow at getting ready, but surely it couldn’t take this long to put clothes on, right? He struggled to keep from fidgeting as he waited for Lance to finish dressing. It was just a shirt and jacket left. Lance should only take a few minutes longer to finish, right?

“Guess I should have expected to feel stiff…” Lance mumbled to himself as he walked over to Keith, who had been standing against his closed door. It was only after Lance was in his usual clothes that Keith noticed something was off. It wasn’t just how Lance was holding himself, his typical slouch more pronounced than it needed to be, or the scar Keith had seen on his shoulders. No, his eyes were brighter and his hair was lighter. His ears were even slightly pointed, unlike how they should have been. He looked even more like Lancel than he had before. Keith shook himself out of his staring.

“You took a pretty rough blast. The healing pod can’t stretch your muscles while healing you.” Keith had also felt stiff and sore when he came out of the pod. It was just a side effect of being in the healing pod. Lance turned around, causing Keith to avert his gaze.

“You said everyone else is in the kitchen? I’m starving.” Keith hadn’t meant to stare. Lance had never once stared at his scar even when he had caught the others doing so. If anything, Lance tried to avoid looking at him or looked over his head. At first, Keith thought it had been because he was Galra, but Lance hadn’t shown any problems with him. He had even saved him from Sendak’s ship.

“Yeah, they’re all in the kitchen.” Keith didn’t have to help keep Lance stable as they made their way down to the kitchen. It was silent as they walked. Keith was focused on how much Lance looked like Lancel and his scar. He needed to get his thoughts straight. He was acting like he had when he had first met Lancel. Lance was focused on the dream he remembered with such clarity. Not only did he remember everything from the dream, but he also remembered the sounds and touches between the two men he had been dreaming about. Keith’s voice in the dream was as vibrant as it was when Lance talked to him.

He would need to talk to Keith about it eventually, maybe even Allura. It would have to wait until they were alone.

“And then Keith punched Sendek in the face and I cut his arm off!” Pidge was telling Lance the tale of what happened since the explosion - that he barely remembered - while Lance at the food goo slowly. Keith had been right. Hunk did make the goo taste better somehow.

“Thanks, guys. It sounds like you all did a lot while I was out. Except for Keith.” Lance was definitely joking, as he did with all of his friends, but judging from the look on Keith’s face, he didn’t see it that way.

“What are you talking about? I punched Sendak.” Lance could see the slight smile on Shiro’s face at the comment.

“After I emerged from a coma and shot him.” Now he was going to keep the joke going for as long as he could.

“We had a bonding moment. I cradled you in my arms!” Was Keith upset? It sure sounded like it to Lance.

“Nope, don’t remember it, didn’t happen.” Lance definitely remembered that, but he wasn’t about to let Keith know how much he appreciated having him there when he needed help. He certainly wasn’t going to admit how nice it felt to be in Keith’s arms.

“So where to next?” Lance needed to change the subject before he said something he would regret. The comment was on the tip of his tongue, ready to be released. It seemed that Shiro had decided to take pity on them and went along with his subject change.

“We’re headed to the Balmera that Hunk and Coran got the crystal from. The Galra have enslaved the planet, and we can’t leave those people to suffer.” Shiro explained, standing behind the rest of the group with his arms crossed.

“You guys didn’t see it. These people have never seen a sunset or a sunrise. They don’t even know what freedom is. We have to help them! It’s time to man up!” Hunk shouted frantically as if he needed to justify them going. He didn’t. Everyone had already agreed, save for Lance, that the Balmera would be their first stop. Allura had already prepared the Castle and launched it.

“We got it, Hunk. We’ll save them.” Shiro comforted the yellow Paladin, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s show Lance how the bridge changed to accommodate us being airborne.”

Lance stood up after pushing his empty bowl away. Allura and Shiro were leading the way out of the chamber, with Hunk right next to them. Keith waited for Lance to walk around the table while Pidge stared at the table next to Lance. Both noticed how low their mood seemed to be.

“Pidge?” Lance asked softly, placing his hand on their shoulder. “Something wrong?”

There was a comment on the tip of their tongue about how their situation and how they couldn’t ‘man up’ as Hunk had said. They knew that they had pretended to be male while in the Garrison so they could find information on their family. Now that they were in space, away from the Garrison and Commander Iverson, there was no reason for Pidge to keep on pretending. However, at the moment, they had other things to worry about instead of their own identity. Like getting to the Balmera and rescuing the people there.

“Are you worried about your family?” Keith asked, just as softly, as he moved to stand on Pidge’s other side. It was obvious both of them were worried about the youngest paladin.

“It’s not that...I mean I am, and I want to find them but...never mind. It’s nothing.” It wasn’t the right time. They would say something later when they weren’t in a hurry to get anywhere. “Come on. We should head to the bridge.”

Lance and Keith watched as Pidge broke away from them and walked out of the chamber. Keith hadn’t known Pidge for long, but he had observed how often Pidge spoke their mind. It didn’t seem like they were the type to worry about something without bringing it up to the group. Lance, however, knew how secretive Pidge could be. He hadn’t even known about Pidge’s family being on the Kerberos mission until the night Shiro had crashed at the Garrison. He didn’t know much of anything about Pidge until recently, in fact.

The two shrugged at each other before following after them.

When the three walked onto the bridge, it was to Shiro and Hunk arguing. Tensions were high between the two. It brought a frown to Lance’s face.

“We’re stopping Hunk. I promise we’ll get to the Balmera, but we need to stop and help these people.” Allura was the deciding factor as she stood in the center of the bridge between two consoles Lance hadn’t remembered being there the last time he had been in the chamber. Actually, now that he looked around, he didn’t remember the chairs being around the chamber either.

“What’s going on?” Keith asked as he walked over to his chair. Lance’s own chair was directly across the chamber from Keith’s if the colors accenting them were anything to go off of. He could get used to having his own specified place on the bridge.

“We received a distress signal. We’re making a detour to help those people out first.” Shiro was the one who answered. He was standing next to Coran in front of a console. Hunk was standing near Allura but far away enough for her to pilot the ship.

“We need to get to the Balmera as soon as possible!” Hunk sounded distressed as he tried to plead with Allura. “We have to perform the ceremony Coran was talking about since we took a crystal. It was the only way we could get it from the Balmerans.”

“Hunk is correct in that Princess. We had to promise to return within a movement to perform the ceremony. We’ll only have time to stop once if we’re going to make the deadline.” Coran was backing Hunk up on his side of the argument while still validating Allura and Shiro’s argument.

“Quiznack. That doesn’t give us a lot of time. We’ll have to make this detour quick. We’ll see what these people need and go from there.” Allura decided, placing her palms on the consoles on either side of her to alter their course. Hunk was still unhappy with the decision.

It didn’t take long for before the Castle reached the asteroid where a shuttle was broken down. The Paladins and Allura exited the Castle to meet the people who had sent the distress signal. Keith was on high alert as they approached the three.

“I’m Rolo. This is Nyma and this is our cyber unit, Beezer. We were hit while trying to get away from the Galra in between trade routes.” The tall, blue-skinned alien explained as he gestured to the large shuttle behind him. Keith wondered if Rolo could tell he was Galra but doubted it. He would have been much more cautious. “We’ve been stranded here for about three quintants. Thank you for answering our call.”

“We’re here to help with what we can. Give Hunk a list of what you need, and he’ll see if we have anything to help you on the Castle.” Allura ordered, giving Hunk a pointed look. The paladin was far from happy about being on the asteroid, but he was even less happy about being sent to gather the equipment needed for the repairs. Something didn’t feel right about the situation they were in. Keith got a bad feeling from Rolo.

“Here it is. I’ll go with you so you don’t have to carry it all by yourself.” Rolo had gotten the list together quicker than Hunk had expected and that made him even more suspicious to the paladin.

“I don’t think so; you can just wait out here.” Hunk stopped Rolo from walking past him towards the Castle. Something about him seemed too eager to get on the ship.

“Hunk, don’t be rude. We’re here to help them.” Allura chastised her Paladin. Lance stood behind her, nodding his agreement. He saw no harm in stopping to help.

“I’m sorry, but does anyone remember what happened the last time we let our defenses down? Someone set off a bomb and you almost got killed, Lance.” Hunk wasn’t letting up on his decision.

“Hunk’s right. I’m sorry, but we have to be cautious.” Shiro was backing Hunk in his decision and as the team leader, his word was final in the matter.

“I don’t take it personally, I understand. We all gotta protect ourselves.” Rolo handed the list over to Hunk with what the Yellow Paladin thought was a smile. Immediately, Hunk returned to the Castle and went in search of Coran. Maybe the adviser could help ease his suspicion.

Shiro took his helmet off, followed by Pidge and Allura. Keith hesitated. He could see Lance also taking his helmet off, leaving him the only one still wearing theirs. He felt uncomfortable all of a sudden. Slowly he took it off. He turned to tell Allura he was going inside to help Hunk and Coran, only to be met with a gun to his face. 

“You brought one of them here with you? Are you spying on us?” Rolo’s tone was demanding and angry. Keith looked over at Allura and Shiro the best he could without moving too much. He wouldn’t put it past Rolo to shoot him.

“Keith is a Paladin of Voltron and a friend. You will lower your weapon if you want help with your ship.” Allura was angry. Keith almost appreciated the sentiment, if not for the fact that Rolo seemed to grow angrier. He didn’t do as Allura ordered.

“Why would I want to help the people who held me captive? I’m not here to spy or help the Empire in any way. I’m here to put a stop to them.” It was Nyma who pushed Rolo’s hand down. She offered him a flirtatious smile, one he didn’t return, and took the gun from her partner.

“I apologize for him. We don’t have the best opinion of the Galra.” She shot her partner a pointed look, but Keith couldn’t figure out what it meant. She left after that, taking the gun with her.

Night fell quickly, though, on the asteroid, it would be hard to tell if it hadn’t been for the clock built into Lance’s armor. He was bored and tempted to go into the Castle to see if Hunk needed any help regardless of the fact that he had no idea what he was doing in the first place.

Rolo was by the fire he had built, telling Shiro, Keith, and Allura about how he had ended up fighting the Galra while trading on the side. Sure, it was a depressing thought - Rolo’s planet had been taken over and his family killed - but something just didn’t feel right about it to Lance. Neither of the traders had been that worried about their own ship, it seemed. While Rolo told the others how they got into their lifestyles, Nyma had been busy asking Lance anything she could about the Castle and Voltron.

He wondered why she had chosen him, but looking behind her, he could see Pidge messing around with Beezer. Allura and Shiro were getting answers from Rolo about Zarkon’s forces and Keith...he was barely paying attention to them. Instead, he seemed to be focused on Lance and Nyma. At least until Rolo mentioned Sendak’s name. Both Keith and Lance froze at the name.

“Oh, we’ve met. He won’t be an issue for this territory.” Keith didn’t mention the fact that they had Sendak and he doubted Rolo understood what he meant, but the other man’s eyes widened when he noticed Keith scratching at the scar on his face. It almost burned as he thought about the man who gave him the scar.

“How far are we from the center?” Lance zoned out again. Hunk seemed to interrupt the conversation as he returned from the Castle lugging a crate full of parts.

“So...the lions are ships? Are they like statues that you ride on?” Nyma asked, turning Lance’s attention back on her. He sighed and began explaining the concept of the Lions to her again. For the what…? Third time? Fourth maybe? Lance had lost track. For someone who lived in space and traveled for a living, she wasn’t quick to pick up on information

“It’s too bad I can’t see it, but I guess the big one is in charge, huh. Have to listen to him?” She was goading him. She thought that she could persuade him into taking her onto the Castle - which made her the second one to try.

“Who Hunk? I don’t have to listen to him. I do listen to Shiro, though, and he doesn’t want us bringing people inside right now.” Lance had never been the type to follow orders he didn’t agree with, but the longer he talked to Nyma, the more he felt uneasy around her.

Nyma wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Please? I really want to see those Lions.”

“Then I guess you’ll have to hope that Voltron is needed wherever you are next. I’m going to go see if they need help with anything.” Lance began walking away from her just as he noticed Keith walking towards him.

Keith had been keeping an eye on Lance all day, only to make sure that the Blue Paladin was okay after spending a day in the healing pod. He hadn’t really rested since he got out. Keith remembered how tired he had been when he got out of it. Each glance at the other Paladin told Keith how annoyed Lace was getting. He had even told Shiro and Allura that he didn't feel comfortable with the two traders. When he noticed Lance trying to get away from Nyma, who was following the Blue Paladin as he headed towards the Castle, he immediately began walking to meet him. His interest in the conversation between Allura, Shiro, and Rolo was dwindling. At the moment, really all he cared about was Lance.

“Hey, Lance Coran needs you on the Castle. He wants to give you a check-up to make sure you’re still healing properly.” Keith hoped the lie was convincing enough. He said the words loud enough for Lance and Nyma to hear but not the rest of the group. Lance looked grateful for his intervention and readily agreed.

“Thanks, Keith, would you come with me?” Lance didn’t really want to go alone in case Nyma decided to try and follow him. He got a bad feeling around her.

“Sure thing.” Keith led Lance into the Castle quietly, only casting a glance behind him once to see that Nyma wasn’t following him. Instead, she had walked over to her ship.

“That was a terrible lie, just so you know,” Lance stated with a grin as Keith turned to look at him. Lance would definitely not complain about the fact that he was given an out from the situation he didn’t want to be in in the first place. “I appreciate it. Nyma wouldn’t give up on seeing the Lions. Something’s not right about those two.”

“Tell me about it. Rolo didn’t even try to pretend like he was worried about the ship. At first, I thought it was just the chance to talk to someone other than his partner, but some of the things he said didn’t sit right with me.” Keith also had a bad feeling about the traders.

“Nyma wanted to know everything about the Castle and the Lions. She even tried to convince me to go against Shiro to take her to see the Lions.” Something was definitely not right about those two. Lance wanted to be as far away as he could from them.

“Ah, Keith, Lance. Just in time. I found more items on the list that Rolo gave to Hunk. I can’t see why they would want such a strange assortment of parts.” Coran walked up behind them in the pod bay where they had entered the Castle.

“With those guys, who knows,” Keith replied as he looked between Coran and the crate of parts next to him.

“Yes, well, I need you guys to bring this crate to them so we can finish with their ship and move on to the Balmera. I’ve got more systems to check on.” Coran didn’t wait for them to respond before he walked out of the bay.

“I guess we have no choice…” Keith sighed and moved to one end of the crate. He grabbed one end and looked up at Lance. “Help me with this, will you?”

Lance sighed. He had hoped he wouldn’t have to deal with the traders so soon, especially since he had just gotten away from Nyma. Either way, Coran had asked them to bring the parts out, so that’s what he would do. And then he planned on leaving as soon as he could. The two carried the heavy crate out of the bay and over to where Rolo was looking through the first crate Hunk had brought out.

“Great!” Rolo exclaimed when he saw the two carrying the second crate out to him. “Would you mind helping me get all this on the ship and unloaded? Most of the repairs will need to be done inside. I’ve done all I can out here.”

Lance’s immediate response was to say no. He definitely didn’t want to be close to either of the traders, but he didn’t get the choice to say no as Allura agreed for them. Keith was grumbling under his breath as he began leading Lance, both still carrying the crate, over to the bay doors of Rolo’s ship. Together they lifted the crate up to the edge of the bay floor. Keith was the first to climb up on the ship with Lance closely behind him.

Lance wasn’t about to leave Keith on an unfamiliar ship with people he didn’t trust. He especially didn’t trust Rolo as the man climbed into the bay behind them. His heartbeat sped up as the bay doors shut behind the man. Lance made to run to the door, to make an attempt at escape, when something hit him hard on the head. Of all the times to not be wearing his helmet, this was the worst. Lance went down without a sound and Keith was right next to him, also unconscious.

“Beezer, get on! We’re going to take her for a spin to make sure everything’s working.” Rolo had called from the cockpit of the ship. He had waited a whole varga before they made their getaway, just to keep the rest of the Paladins from getting suspicious. They had wanted to get one of the Lions as well, but Nyma hadn’t been able to sway the Blue Paladin into taking her for a ride like she had hoped. It was the one job Nyma had as they tried to clear the bounty on their own heads. Both Rolo and Nyma had failed the first two plans, so their entire future rested on succeeding with their final one. They couldn’t feel bad about turning the two Paladins over to the empire, not if it meant they could live another day. They had made the mistake of stealing from the Galra to trade, and now they needed to pay for what they had done.

Shiro watched the ship begin its launch sequence. He was happy to see that they had gotten their ship fixed so quickly. It made their detour short and simple. Once they were sure the traders’ ship was working well enough for them to leave them alone, they would head straight to the Balmera. Shiro looked around to let the others know they could leave soon. The problem was, he only saw Allura, Hunk, and Pidge standing near him.

“Didn’t Lance and Keith bring that last crate out? Where are they now?” Shiro asked once he realized the two weren’t where Shiro expected them to be. He put his helmet back on so he could make sure the two weren’t in the Castle.

“Coran, are Keith and Lance in the Castle with you?” Shiro was hopeful. He didn’t want to admit that Keith and Hunk had been right. Both had told him they didn’t feel comfortable with the vibes Rolo and Nyma were giving off. Shiro had passed it off due to what they had all been through in the last couple of days. Hunk was determined to get back to the Balmera as quickly as possible while Keith had been worried over Lance’s health after the explosion.

“Negative Shiro. I sent Keith and Lance out with a crate of parts to give to the traders. They haven’t returned yet.” Coran’s response drained the color in Shiro’s face as he glanced back up at the ship, leaving the asteroid.

“They must still be on that ship!” Allura shouted loudly from next to the fire they had been gathered around only an hour before. She was holding up Keith’s helmet, which he had taken off when they arrived to talk easier to Rolo.

“Keith wouldn’t have left with them without telling us, and he wouldn’t have done so without his helmet.” Shiro knew something was wrong after seeing the helmet. Keith had told him how much he didn’t feel comfortable around the trader throughout the day. Shiro should have listened.

“Lance’s helmet is still here too!” Pidge shouted as they held the blue helmet in their hands.

“We have to go after them. Come on!” Allura shouted as they all ran back to the Castle, the helmets of their missing teammates still in their hands.

“We’re stronger if we use both the Castle and the Lions. Shiro and I will go on ahead to see if we can find them. Hunk, we’ll need your Lion to stop that ship without harming Keith and Lance.” Pidge ordered as they all entered the pod bay.

“Alright, that’s a plan. Princess, can you back us up when we attack?” Shiro asked as they raced down the path down the middle of the bay.

“Affirmative. Coran and I will provide as much cover as possible. Hurry Paladins. I fear for our friends’ safety.” The group split up to go to their destination. Shiro just hoped they would make it to the ship in time to save Lance and Keith.

_“Are you trying to keep me close to you?” Keith asked jokingly as the door opened to reveal a very simple chamber. The chamber was nothing extravagant, but Lancel thought Keith would appreciate that more. Keith let go of Lancel’s hand to pull his travel coat off and set it on the hook near the door._

_“Maybe I am. Would that bother you?” The Altean Prince wasn’t joking as he entered the chamber fully. He moved close to the other Prince and reached for his hand again to hold it up to his lips. He pressed a soft kiss to Keith’s knuckles. “Maybe I would like to get to know you better before you have to leave again. Would that be rude of me?”_

_Keith didn’t pull his hand from Lancel’s grip as his breath hitched and his cheeks lit up in a blush. Lancel could feel Keith’s heartbeat speed up as Lancel looked at him. He was undeniably adorable with the expression on his face._

_“No, that wouldn’t be rude of you at all. I enjoyed our time together during my last visit.” There was something in Keith’s voice that brought a pool of new emotions to Lancel’s gut. He couldn’t - wouldn’t - put a name to it just yet. If there was one thing he knew, confessing love to someone he had only met twice wasn’t the way to get them. Keith may not have been like anyone he had ever met before, but he knew it would be a bad choice._

_It may scare him off too soon._

Lance woke up to the feeling of the ship starting up. It was a struggle to even lift his head to see what was happening, let alone his whole body. His head pounded in pain and his body felt heavy. Heavier than it should have. Realization dawned on him as he saw Keith lying next to him. They were alone on the ship with someone Lance considered an enemy. Surely, the rest of the team would realize something was wrong, right?

Keith was still unconscious. Their hands were bound behind their backs and, as Lance remembered, they didn’t have their helmets with them so they couldn’t call for help. They were sitting ducks in the bay of a ship they weren’t familiar with. Faintly, he heard Rolo talking to someone, someone who wasn’t Nyma or Beezer judging by the voice that sounded after him, and all Lance could hear was the phrase ‘turn the Paladins over’. He knew he wouldn’t like whatever Rolo had in store for them.

Lance distracted himself by staring at Keith. This was the first time Lance had actually taken the time to look at his Galran teammate. Keith’s hair was long and shaggy, most of it hanging in his face. It almost looked like a mullet, but Lance doubted the Galra knew what that was. Even with him lying down, Lance could tell Keith was shorter than him, but his shoulders were wide. It was like he was built larger than humans - and given how the other Galra he had met looked Lance was surprised Keith wasn’t bigger. His skin was a vibrant violet; flawless save for the scar running down the right side of his face. Lance nearly winced as he thought of how he had found the Red Paladin on Sendak’s ship. He was sure there were things Keith hadn’t told them, and honestly, he couldn’t blame him in the slightest. It simply made him nervous to see how he would react to being bound on another ship.

“Lance?” Keith’s voice was heavy with exhaustion, and his eyes were glazed over with sleep. Lance couldn’t help but admire how beautiful Keith looked like that. Immediately the Blue Paladin shook that thought from his mind and offered the other a smile.

“I’m here Keith.” Lance’s voice wavered with fear he was trying to swallow. They’d get out of the situation, one way or another. Lance had to keep telling himself that so he could keep the bare-threaded calm he had.

“Did they…?” Keith didn’t finish his question as he closed his eyes in pain, but Lance understood what he was asking.

“Yeah, looks like it. Don’t know where they’re taking us, though.” Lance didn’t tell what he had heard. Keith didn’t need to know. He tried not to grimace in the pain as the ship jerked to the side suddenly. Keith’s eyes snapped open as he felt the movement, and he stared at Lance in what Lance could only describe as fear. It would make sense; this was the second time that Keith was being held captive on an alien ship. Lance was scared. He knew Keith must have been terrified.

“We’ll be fine. I’m sure the others are in pursuit by now. Don’t worry, Keith. We’ll get out of here.” Lance needed to keep Keith from devolving as he noticed his breathing was becoming unsteady and frantic. As if Keith had forgotten how to breathe.

He needed a distraction. Quickly.

“Tell me about you and Lancel. You were soulmates, right? How did you meet?” It was a conversation he hadn’t been sure he wanted to have. He didn’t really know Keith. He realized as he tried to think of anything else they could talk about.

“I accompanied my father as part of his diplomatic embassy to Altea. Lancel saw me by the juniberry meadow when he went out to practice his studies.” Keith was slow as he talked, but Lance was patient. Honestly, hearing anything Keith wanted to say about his past was interesting. He felt like it brought him closer to Keith in an odd way.

“I fell for him that day. We didn’t know we were soulmates until a phoeb later during the juniberry festival. Lancel saw my mark while we were dancing. He showed me his later. I taught him how to pilot ships and defend himself. He showed me what it was like to be in love. We were going to enter into a union, had started the courtship a phoeb before the war started. I never got to say goodbye to him. He died by my own father’s attack.” Keith was silent for a moment, and Lance had a feeling he should divert the conversation before it became too heavy on the topic of death. Before Keith had a panic attack. Lance could practically hear it building. “We’re going to die here, aren’t we?”

Too late.

“No, we aren’t. They’re looking for us. Shiro and Pidge and Hunk and Allura and Coran. They’re all looking for us. We’ll get out of here, Keith, I promise.” Lance had no business promising something he himself had no idea how true it was. “Tell me about the things you and Lancel did. You said you taught him how to pilot, that must have been hard.”

Lance remembered some things about the dreams. For the most part, he remembered details that didn’t matter, like what kind of rain Altea got and how the Juniberries looked in the winter. The only major detail he remembered was the fact that Keith taught Lancel how to pilot. Talking about it may help Keith stay calm, however.

“He was a natural at it; we spent hours on practice. We were-” The ship jerked again and cut Keith off. Lance immediately began worming his way over to Keith, as if his proximity would help comfort the other Paladin. “How are they going to find us, Lance? We don’t even know where we are and we can’t contact them?”

“We’ll have to trust them. You trust Allura, don’t you?” Lance couldn’t let Keith lose hope. He just hoped the others found them soon.

“I trust Allura...but I...I want to go home, Lance.” His voice broke. He wanted to return to Altea, to spend another movement with Lancel. Keith wasn’t ready to admit that he was scared, but he was sure that Lance could see the fear in his expression. His own planet was gone. Altea was gone. He had nowhere to call home anymore.

“You will...I’ll get you home, Keith.” Lance knew that was a promise he couldn’t keep. Daibazaal was gone. There was no way he could bring an entire planet back just for one person to return. He could, however, make a new home for him.

One way or another, Lance would make Keith feel at home. With him, with the other Paladins. The Castle could be his new home.

“They’re getting away. We need to cut them off before they hit that asteroid belt.” Pidge was in charge of tracking the ship as they followed it. Their scanners had a longer range than the Yellow or Black Lion and could follow at a closer distance than the Castle. It was a slight change to their initial plan, but all of them would do whatever it took to get their friends back.

“Princess give me cover, I’m going to cut them off. Hunk, Pidge cut off any escape route they could use. We need to surround them.” Shiro knew they only had one shot at this; otherwise, they would possibly lose Keith and Lance forever. Shiro shifted the handles that controlled the Lion and urged for Black to be faster than Rolo’s ship. A blast hitting the back of the ship slowed Rolo down and allowed Shiro to get in front of him. Hunk and Pidge came up on either side of Rolo’s ship with the Castle taking up position behind them. Shiro sent a transmission to Rolo as soon as they had them cornered.

“Return our friends and we won’t destroy your ship.” It was a bluff - Shiro wasn’t going to destroy their ship while their friends were still onboard. That didn’t mean he couldn’t threaten it.

“We need to land to do that. That planet over there is stable enough for everyone to land.” Rolo had hoped he could outrun the Paladins. He should have known that any weapon Zarkon wanted would be powerful. There was no way he could simply wait for the Galra to come and get his cargo, which meant he and Nyma were now out of options in terms of clearing their debts.

Rolo followed Shiro down to the planet surface. It was far enough from the system’s sun that it was cold but not covered in ice like some of the planets Rolo had landed on before. The wind was freezing, and it frosted the tips of the yellow blades of grass as well as each boulder they came across. The soil was a soft brown color and gave slightly under their ships.

“Nyma, open the bay door,” Rolo ordered as he stood from his pilot seat and made his way down to the bay. The Red and Blue Paladins were still lying where they had left them, but Rolo knew they were awake. Though the Galra’s eyes were shut tightly, he seemed to be having trouble breathing. The other had wormed his way over, so he was nearly flush against his friends’ body.

“Where are they, Rolo?” Shiro’s angry voice seemed to calm the Galra down as his breathing slowed and his eyes relaxed, though they were still closed. Rolo leaned down and released the cuffs that restrained them.

“Keith! Lance!” Pidge shouted as they ran over to where Rolo stood. Hunk had his cannon trained on Rolo in case the trader decided to try and capture the rest of them. That was the other reason Allura and Coran were inside, waiting to attack if needed. Shiro stalked closer to the group, keeping his eyes on Rolo rather than the two Paladins on the floor.

Pidge helped Lance stand up and immediately passed him off to Shiro. Keith was harder to get off the floor. He flinched at Pidge’s touch as they gently laid a hand on his shoulder. They heard Lance mumble something about a panic attack and took a deep breath.

“Keith? It’s me Pidge. I need you to take a deep breath for me, can you do that?” For all the knowledge Pidge had, they did not know how to properly take care of a panic attack. And worst, they didn’t have the emotional capacity to empathize with him like he probably needed. Shiro pulled them out of the way and knelt next to Keith instead. Pidge watched as Shiro got Keith’s breathing under control using a much softer voice than Pidge had and gently brushing his fingers through Keith’s hair.

“I’m going to pick you up, alright?” Keith’s agreement was a small nod of his head that Shiro would have missed if he blinked, but it was enough for him. He picked up the smaller man as gently as he could before turning and walking off of the ship without another glance at the trader. Nyma had entered the bay at some point. When they noticed her, Pidge merely glared at her and grabbed Lance’s arm to help him out of the bay as well. Hunk was the last one out. Rolo and Nyma followed if only to apologize.

“We’re sorry. The Galra have a bounty out on our heads, and this would have cleared it. It was nothing personal.” Rolo was a damn good trader - he could trade almost anything he got his hands on - but he was terrible at apologies. Usually, that was left to Nyma, but since it had been his idea in the first place - as had been the idea to steal the sentry from the Galra - it wouldn’t have been fair to make her apologize.

“It’s far from alright, but I will make you a deal. You tell me what you know about any form of a rebellion movement against the Galra and I won’t blow up your ship and leave you stranded again.” Princess Allura was standing just outside of the Castle, arms crossed and face twisted in fury. Rolo got the feeling they had crossed the wrong people again, and it was his fault.

“That’s fair. I know of two movements. However, both are pretty secretive. The Blade of Marmora is run by a man named Kolivan. The other rebellion doesn’t have a name, but I know the woman who runs it. She goes by the alias of Lady Gilla, and last I heard they were moving their camp. I couldn’t tell you where they are headed, just that they recently left Ximone-065 in the Xiverth system.” Rolo wished he knew more to tell the princess in front of him, but it was all the information he had. Lady Gilla and her followers didn’t really trust Rolo and Nyma, not since they had tried to trade one of their spies to the Galran Prince Lotor. They usually sent whatever information they had through one of Nyma’s contacts and clients, Slegirs. Rolo was certain he would get skinned by the Zurg if he tried to give them her contact information.

“Blade of Marmora?” That was the second time that the group was mentioned. Allura desperately needed to find out who they were. She waited until Hunk had gotten on the Castle since she had already watched the other four paladins get on before she thanked Rolo and turned to walk to the Castle. She paused before she got very far.

“Let me just say this once as a warning. If you ever try to take any of our paladins again, you will regret it. A broken ship will be the least of your worries. I’m being merciful only this one time. If you wish to redeem yourself from this, you will get us in contact with this Lady Gilla.” With that threat, Allura returned the Castle. Alteans believed in being peaceful above all else, but when their families were harmed or threatened, that belief was null and void.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! Thank you for reading
> 
> Edited 12/15/2020 for clarity


	6. Healing

Keith was worried. Lance should have woken up already. Allura and Coran had both insisted he would be fine, but Keith wasn’t so sure. There was no denying Lance reminded him of Lancel. Seeing him in a healing pod and not waking up sent him back to the day he had lost his soulmate. The image haunted him, even while he was awake. It was as if meeting Lance had brought those memories to the forefront of his mind no matter what he was doing.

Coran had checked on Lance maybe half a varga ago. Allura and Shiro had been there that morning checking on him. So far, he hadn’t seen Hunk or Pidge, but he wouldn’t be surprised if they had visited too. No one stayed. If...when Lance woke up, Keith wanted someone to be there for him. 

_“Where are we going?”_

_“You’ll see!” Lancel replied excitedly as he pulled Keith through the forest. It was apparent that Lancel had explored this forest vastly since he seemed to know exactly where he was going. Keith seemed to be struggling behind the Altean Prince. Lancel jumped over a fallen branch and pulled Keith with him. The Altean wasn’t expecting Keith’s boot to slip on the moss-covered branch, but Lancel caught him with ease._

_“Aren’t you a soldier of the Galra? You should be able to run through a forest like this with ease.” Lancel teased him as he helped him stand straight and let him go._

_“We don’t have forests like this on Daibazaal. My training was on how to fight, not how to run.” Keith replied, embarrassed. Lancel hadn’t wanted to let go of the Galran Prince. He could still feel the touch of his skin on his hand. A glance back at Keith showed the touch had affected him too. His cheeks heated up in a blush that turned his light purple skin to a deep violet._

_“I’ve heard that Altea has some of the most beautiful scenery in our galaxy. This is just a small part of that scenery, so if you want to see it all, we should keep going. I want to show you all I can.” Lancel grabbed Keith’s hand again and started pulling him towards wherever he wanted to show him. When they arrived a dobash later, Lancel heard Keith’s breath hitch. There was a water well in the center of the clearing and different types of flowers around it. Lancel pulled him to the middle of the clearing and sat down, pulling him with him. Keith softly growled as he fell into the flowers next to Lancel. He rolled over onto his back to look up at the sky above them. He could feel the rays of the sun hit his face; it brought a smile to his face. Lancel enjoyed the look far more than he expected._

_“You look better with a smile on your face,” Lancel stated as he looked over at Keith, a smile on his own face._

_“I could say the same to you.” Was he flirting? Did Galra even flirt? It sure sounded like Keith was. The Galran’s words made Lancel’s smile brighten._

_“Tell me about yourself. How do you spend your free time? What do you like to do?” Lancel wanted to know as much as he could about Keith._

_“I’m a soldier under my father’s direct command.” Keith seemed embarrassed to speak of himself. His response was shy and slow. “I like practicing my piloting skills when I can. And practicing my fighting techniques.”_

_“Interesting, I only know the basics of piloting. Just enough to fly the Castle should I need to.” Lancel was curious to know what kind of techniques Keith used when fighting. He decided he would ask about that later - assuming they would see each other again._

_“Come on I have more I want to show you.” Lancel stood up and reached out a hand to the Galran prince. Keith didn’t hesitate this time as he grabbed the Altean prince’s hand and allowed himself to be pulled up._

For the first time since he was a child, Lance remembered the entirety of his dream in vivid detail. Before, he could only remember bits and pieces of them, small snippets of conversations or memories that he didn’t remember having, along with knowledge of a society that he had never even heard of. He knew the names and saw the faces but had never met the people.

The hiss of the pod sounded as the door opened in front of Lance. His head still hurt some, and he felt the overwhelming exhaustion of being injured ache in his bones. Keith was the only one in the infirmary when Lance opened his eyes.

“Lance!” Keith’s voice was loud in Lance’s ears. He was thankful that the others weren’t there at the moment. He needed to get his mind together before he saw the other Paladins and the princess. Keith was peaceful, though. He was good company.

“Have you been waiting here for me to come out of the pod?” Lance asked as he stepped out of the pod. His legs felt weak and shook when he put weight on them. Keith was there to hold him steady when he almost fell down.

“I didn’t want you to wake up by yourself. Come on, let’s get you changed and some food.” Lance was sure there was more to it than that, but he was silent as Keith guided him out of the infirmary. As they made their way down to Lance’s chamber, Keith kept a firm grip on Lance’s shoulders and allowed the Blue Paladin to lean on him. “Everyone else is down in the kitchen. Hunk has been working on something new with the food goo.”

Keith found it almost strange to be in his old bed-chamber. Especially now that Lance was using it rather than him. He didn’t leave as Lance stripped from his flight suit and changed into his regular clothes. He was slow, his skin tugging on the scarred tissue as he stretched his left arm out too far. He tried not to stare, tried not to even look at Lance while he was so exposed, but it didn’t stop him from catching a glance of Lance’s back while he was checking to make sure Lance was still okay. He knew what he would see, he’d seen plenty of injuries in his lifetime, but it still took him by surprise. Lance’s shoulder blades had a jagged but thin white line racing across them. It looked like a sideways lightning bolt. Even with it, he thought Lance looked beautiful.

Keith knew that Lance was slow at getting ready, but surely it couldn’t take this long to put clothes on, right? He struggled to keep from fidgeting as he waited for Lance to finish dressing. It was just a shirt and jacket left. Lance should only take a few minutes longer to finish, right?

“Guess I should have expected to feel stiff…” Lance mumbled to himself as he walked over to Keith, who had been standing against his closed door. It was only after Lance was in his usual clothes that Keith noticed something was off. It wasn’t just how Lance was holding himself, his typical slouch more pronounced than it needed to be, or the scar Keith had seen on his shoulders. No, his eyes were brighter and his hair was lighter. His ears were even slightly pointed, unlike how they should have been. He looked even more like Lancel than he had before. Keith shook himself out of his staring.

“You took a pretty rough blast. The healing pod can’t stretch your muscles while healing you.” Keith had also felt stiff and sore when he came out of the pod. It was just a side effect of being in the healing pod. Lance turned around, causing Keith to avert his gaze.

“You said everyone else is in the kitchen? I’m starving.” Keith hadn’t meant to stare. Lance had never once stared at his scar even when he had caught the others doing so. If anything, Lance tried to avoid looking at him or looked over his head. At first, Keith thought it had been because he was Galra, but Lance hadn’t shown any problems with him. He had even saved him from Sendak’s ship.

“Yeah, they’re all in the kitchen.” Keith didn’t have to help keep Lance stable as they made their way down to the kitchen. It was silent as they walked. Keith was focused on how much Lance looked like Lancel and his scar. He needed to get his thoughts straight. He was acting like he had when he had first met Lancel. Lance was focused on the dream he remembered with such clarity. Not only did he remember everything from the dream, but he also remembered the sounds and touches between the two men he had been dreaming about. Keith’s voice in the dream was as vibrant as it was when Lance talked to him.

He would need to talk to Keith about it eventually, maybe even Allura. It would have to wait until they were alone.

“And then Keith punched Sendek in the face and I cut his arm off!” Pidge was telling Lance the tale of what happened since the explosion - that he barely remembered - while Lance at the food goo slowly. Keith had been right. Hunk did make the goo taste better somehow.

“Thanks, guys. It sounds like you all did a lot while I was out. Except for Keith.” Lance was definitely joking, as he did with all of his friends, but judging from the look on Keith’s face, he didn’t see it that way.

“What are you talking about? I punched Sendak.” Lance could see the slight smile on Shiro’s face at the comment.

“After I emerged from a coma and shot him.” Now he was going to keep the joke going for as long as he could.

“We had a bonding moment. I cradled you in my arms!” Was Keith upset? It sure sounded like it to Lance.

“Nope, don’t remember it, didn’t happen.” Lance definitely remembered that, but he wasn’t about to let Keith know how much he appreciated having him there when he needed help. He certainly wasn’t going to admit how nice it felt to be in Keith’s arms.

“So where to next?” Lance needed to change the subject before he said something he would regret. The comment was on the tip of his tongue, ready to be released. It seemed that Shiro had decided to take pity on them and went along with his subject change.

“We’re headed to the Balmera that Hunk and Coran got the crystal from. The Galra have enslaved the planet, and we can’t leave those people to suffer.” Shiro explained, standing behind the rest of the group with his arms crossed.

“You guys didn’t see it. These people have never seen a sunset or a sunrise. They don’t even know what freedom is. We have to help them! It’s time to man up!” Hunk shouted frantically as if he needed to justify them going. He didn’t. Everyone had already agreed, save for Lance, that the Balmera would be their first stop. Allura had already prepared the Castle and launched it.

“We got it, Hunk. We’ll save them.” Shiro comforted the yellow Paladin, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s show Lance how the bridge changed to accommodate us being airborne.”

Lance stood up after pushing his empty bowl away. Allura and Shiro were leading the way out of the chamber, with Hunk right next to them. Keith waited for Lance to walk around the table while Pidge stared at the table next to Lance. Both noticed how low their mood seemed to be.

“Pidge?” Lance asked softly, placing his hand on their shoulder. “Something wrong?”

There was a comment on the tip of their tongue about how their situation and how they couldn’t ‘man up’ as Hunk had said. They knew that they had pretended to be male while in the Garrison so they could find information on their family. Now that they were in space, away from the Garrison and Commander Iverson, there was no reason for Pidge to keep on pretending. However, at the moment, they had other things to worry about instead of their own identity. Like getting to the Balmera and rescuing the people there.

“Are you worried about your family?” Keith asked, just as softly, as he moved to stand on Pidge’s other side. It was obvious both of them were worried about the youngest paladin.

“It’s not that...I mean I am, and I want to find them but...never mind. It’s nothing.” It wasn’t the right time. They would say something later when they weren’t in a hurry to get anywhere. “Come on. We should head to the bridge.”

Lance and Keith watched as Pidge broke away from them and walked out of the chamber. Keith hadn’t known Pidge for long, but he had observed how often Pidge spoke their mind. It didn’t seem like they were the type to worry about something without bringing it up to the group. Lance, however, knew how secretive Pidge could be. He hadn’t even known about Pidge’s family being on the Kerberos mission until the night Shiro had crashed at the Garrison. He didn’t know much of anything about Pidge until recently, in fact.

The two shrugged at each other before following after them.

When the three walked onto the bridge, it was to Shiro and Hunk arguing. Tensions were high between the two. It brought a frown to Lance’s face.

“We’re stopping Hunk. I promise we’ll get to the Balmera, but we need to stop and help these people.” Allura was the deciding factor as she stood in the center of the bridge between two consoles Lance hadn’t remembered being there the last time he had been in the chamber. Actually, now that he looked around, he didn’t remember the chairs being around the chamber either.

“What’s going on?” Keith asked as he walked over to his chair. Lance’s own chair was directly across the chamber from Keith’s if the colors accenting them were anything to go off of. He could get used to having his own specified place on the bridge.

“We received a distress signal. We’re making a detour to help those people out first.” Shiro was the one who answered. He was standing next to Coran in front of a console. Hunk was standing near Allura but far away enough for her to pilot the ship.

“We need to get to the Balmera as soon as possible!” Hunk sounded distressed as he tried to plead with Allura. “We have to perform the ceremony Coran was talking about since we took a crystal. It was the only way we could get it from the Balmerans.”

“Hunk is correct in that Princess. We had to promise to return within a movement to perform the ceremony. We’ll only have time to stop once if we’re going to make the deadline.” Coran was backing Hunk up on his side of the argument while still validating Allura and Shiro’s argument.

“Quiznack. That doesn’t give us a lot of time. We’ll have to make this detour quick. We’ll see what these people need and go from there.” Allura decided, placing her palms on the consoles on either side of her to alter their course. Hunk was still unhappy with the decision.

It didn’t take long for before the Castle reached the asteroid where a shuttle was broken down. The Paladins and Allura exited the Castle to meet the people who had sent the distress signal. Keith was on high alert as they approached the three.

“I’m Rolo. This is Nyma and this is our cyber unit, Beezer. We were hit while trying to get away from the Galra in between trade routes.” The tall, blue-skinned alien explained as he gestured to the large shuttle behind him. Keith wondered if Rolo could tell he was Galra but doubted it. He would have been much more cautious. “We’ve been stranded here for about three quintants. Thank you for answering our call.”

“We’re here to help with what we can. Give Hunk a list of what you need, and he’ll see if we have anything to help you on the Castle.” Allura ordered, giving Hunk a pointed look. The paladin was far from happy about being on the asteroid, but he was even less happy about being sent to gather the equipment needed for the repairs. Something didn’t feel right about the situation they were in. Keith got a bad feeling from Rolo.

“Here it is. I’ll go with you so you don’t have to carry it all by yourself.” Rolo had gotten the list together quicker than Hunk had expected and that made him even more suspicious to the paladin.

“I don’t think so; you can just wait out here.” Hunk stopped Rolo from walking past him towards the Castle. Something about him seemed too eager to get on the ship.

“Hunk, don’t be rude. We’re here to help them.” Allura chastised her Paladin. Lance stood behind her, nodding his agreement. He saw no harm in stopping to help.

“I’m sorry, but does anyone remember what happened the last time we let our defenses down? Someone set off a bomb and you almost got killed, Lance.” Hunk wasn’t letting up on his decision.

“Hunk’s right. I’m sorry, but we have to be cautious.” Shiro was backing Hunk in his decision and as the team leader, his word was final in the matter.

“I don’t take it personally, I understand. We all gotta protect ourselves.” Rolo handed the list over to Hunk with what the Yellow Paladin thought was a smile. Immediately, Hunk returned to the Castle and went in search of Coran. Maybe the adviser could help ease his suspicion.

Shiro took his helmet off, followed by Pidge and Allura. Keith hesitated. He could see Lance also taking his helmet off, leaving him the only one still wearing theirs. He felt uncomfortable all of a sudden. Slowly he took it off. He turned to tell Allura he was going inside to help Hunk and Coran, only to be met with a gun to his face. 

“You brought one of them here with you? Are you spying on us?” Rolo’s tone was demanding and angry. Keith looked over at Allura and Shiro the best he could without moving too much. He wouldn’t put it past Rolo to shoot him.

“Keith is a Paladin of Voltron and a friend. You will lower your weapon if you want help with your ship.” Allura was angry. Keith almost appreciated the sentiment, if not for the fact that Rolo seemed to grow angrier. He didn’t do as Allura ordered.

“Why would I want to help the people who held me captive? I’m not here to spy or help the Empire in any way. I’m here to put a stop to them.” It was Nyma who pushed Rolo’s hand down. She offered him a flirtatious smile, one he didn’t return, and took the gun from her partner.

“I apologize for him. We don’t have the best opinion of the Galra.” She shot her partner a pointed look, but Keith couldn’t figure out what it meant. She left after that, taking the gun with her.

Night fell quickly, though, on the asteroid, it would be hard to tell if it hadn’t been for the clock built into Lance’s armor. He was bored and tempted to go into the Castle to see if Hunk needed any help regardless of the fact that he had no idea what he was doing in the first place.

Rolo was by the fire he had built, telling Shiro, Keith, and Allura about how he had ended up fighting the Galra while trading on the side. Sure, it was a depressing thought - Rolo’s planet had been taken over and his family killed - but something just didn’t feel right about it to Lance. Neither of the traders had been that worried about their own ship, it seemed. While Rolo told the others how they got into their lifestyles, Nyma had been busy asking Lance anything she could about the Castle and Voltron.

He wondered why she had chosen him, but looking behind her, he could see Pidge messing around with Beezer. Allura and Shiro were getting answers from Rolo about Zarkon’s forces and Keith...he was barely paying attention to them. Instead, he seemed to be focused on Lance and Nyma. At least until Rolo mentioned Sendak’s name. Both Keith and Lance froze at the name.

“Oh, we’ve met. He won’t be an issue for this territory.” Keith didn’t mention the fact that they had Sendak and he doubted Rolo understood what he meant, but the other man’s eyes widened when he noticed Keith scratching at the scar on his face. It almost burned as he thought about the man who gave him the scar.

“How far are we from the center?” Lance zoned out again. Hunk seemed to interrupt the conversation as he returned from the Castle lugging a crate full of parts.

“So...the lions are ships? Are they like statues that you ride on?” Nyma asked, turning Lance’s attention back on her. He sighed and began explaining the concept of the Lions to her again. For the what…? Third time? Fourth maybe? Lance had lost track. For someone who lived in space and traveled for a living, she wasn’t quick to pick up on information

“It’s too bad I can’t see it, but I guess the big one is in charge, huh. Have to listen to him?” She was goading him. She thought that she could persuade him into taking her onto the Castle - which made her the second one to try.

“Who Hunk? I don’t have to listen to him. I do listen to Shiro, though, and he doesn’t want us bringing people inside right now.” Lance had never been the type to follow orders he didn’t agree with, but the longer he talked to Nyma, the more he felt uneasy around her.

Nyma wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Please? I really want to see those Lions.”

“Then I guess you’ll have to hope that Voltron is needed wherever you are next. I’m going to go see if they need help with anything.” Lance began walking away from her just as he noticed Keith walking towards him.

Keith had been keeping an eye on Lance all day, only to make sure that the Blue Paladin was okay after spending a day in the healing pod. He hadn’t really rested since he got out. Keith remembered how tired he had been when he got out of it. Each glance at the other Paladin told Keith how annoyed Lace was getting. He had even told Shiro and Allura that he didn't feel comfortable with the two traders. When he noticed Lance trying to get away from Nyma, who was following the Blue Paladin as he headed towards the Castle, he immediately began walking to meet him. His interest in the conversation between Allura, Shiro, and Rolo was dwindling. At the moment, really all he cared about was Lance.

“Hey, Lance Coran needs you on the Castle. He wants to give you a check-up to make sure you’re still healing properly.” Keith hoped the lie was convincing enough. He said the words loud enough for Lance and Nyma to hear but not the rest of the group. Lance looked grateful for his intervention and readily agreed.

“Thanks, Keith, would you come with me?” Lance didn’t really want to go alone in case Nyma decided to try and follow him. He got a bad feeling around her.

“Sure thing.” Keith led Lance into the Castle quietly, only casting a glance behind him once to see that Nyma wasn’t following him. Instead, she had walked over to her ship.

“That was a terrible lie, just so you know,” Lance stated with a grin as Keith turned to look at him. Lance would definitely not complain about the fact that he was given an out from the situation he didn’t want to be in in the first place. “I appreciate it. Nyma wouldn’t give up on seeing the Lions. Something’s not right about those two.”

“Tell me about it. Rolo didn’t even try to pretend like he was worried about the ship. At first, I thought it was just the chance to talk to someone other than his partner, but some of the things he said didn’t sit right with me.” Keith also had a bad feeling about the traders.

“Nyma wanted to know everything about the Castle and the Lions. She even tried to convince me to go against Shiro to take her to see the Lions.” Something was definitely not right about those two. Lance wanted to be as far away as he could from them.

“Ah, Keith, Lance. Just in time. I found more items on the list that Rolo gave to Hunk. I can’t see why they would want such a strange assortment of parts.” Coran walked up behind them in the pod bay where they had entered the Castle.

“With those guys, who knows,” Keith replied as he looked between Coran and the crate of parts next to him.

“Yes, well, I need you guys to bring this crate to them so we can finish with their ship and move on to the Balmera. I’ve got more systems to check on.” Coran didn’t wait for them to respond before he walked out of the bay.

“I guess we have no choice…” Keith sighed and moved to one end of the crate. He grabbed one end and looked up at Lance. “Help me with this, will you?”

Lance sighed. He had hoped he wouldn’t have to deal with the traders so soon, especially since he had just gotten away from Nyma. Either way, Coran had asked them to bring the parts out, so that’s what he would do. And then he planned on leaving as soon as he could. The two carried the heavy crate out of the bay and over to where Rolo was looking through the first crate Hunk had brought out.

“Great!” Rolo exclaimed when he saw the two carrying the second crate out to him. “Would you mind helping me get all this on the ship and unloaded? Most of the repairs will need to be done inside. I’ve done all I can out here.”

Lance’s immediate response was to say no. He definitely didn’t want to be close to either of the traders, but he didn’t get the choice to say no as Allura agreed for them. Keith was grumbling under his breath as he began leading Lance, both still carrying the crate, over to the bay doors of Rolo’s ship. Together they lifted the crate up to the edge of the bay floor. Keith was the first to climb up on the ship with Lance closely behind him.

Lance wasn’t about to leave Keith on an unfamiliar ship with people he didn’t trust. He especially didn’t trust Rolo as the man climbed into the bay behind them. His heartbeat sped up as the bay doors shut behind the man. Lance made to run to the door, to make an attempt at escape, when something hit him hard on the head. Of all the times to not be wearing his helmet, this was the worst. Lance went down without a sound and Keith was right next to him, also unconscious.

“Beezer, get on! We’re going to take her for a spin to make sure everything’s working.” Rolo had called from the cockpit of the ship. He had waited a whole varga before they made their getaway, just to keep the rest of the Paladins from getting suspicious. They had wanted to get one of the Lions as well, but Nyma hadn’t been able to sway the Blue Paladin into taking her for a ride like she had hoped. It was the one job Nyma had as they tried to clear the bounty on their own heads. Both Rolo and Nyma had failed the first two plans, so their entire future rested on succeeding with their final one. They couldn’t feel bad about turning the two Paladins over to the empire, not if it meant they could live another day. They had made the mistake of stealing from the Galra to trade, and now they needed to pay for what they had done.

Shiro watched the ship begin its launch sequence. He was happy to see that they had gotten their ship fixed so quickly. It made their detour short and simple. Once they were sure the traders’ ship was working well enough for them to leave them alone, they would head straight to the Balmera. Shiro looked around to let the others know they could leave soon. The problem was, he only saw Allura, Hunk, and Pidge standing near him.

“Didn’t Lance and Keith bring that last crate out? Where are they now?” Shiro asked once he realized the two weren’t where Shiro expected them to be. He put his helmet back on so he could make sure the two weren’t in the Castle.

“Coran, are Keith and Lance in the Castle with you?” Shiro was hopeful. He didn’t want to admit that Keith and Hunk had been right. Both had told him they didn’t feel comfortable with the vibes Rolo and Nyma were giving off. Shiro had passed it off due to what they had all been through in the last couple of days. Hunk was determined to get back to the Balmera as quickly as possible while Keith had been worried over Lance’s health after the explosion.

“Negative Shiro. I sent Keith and Lance out with a crate of parts to give to the traders. They haven’t returned yet.” Coran’s response drained the color in Shiro’s face as he glanced back up at the ship, leaving the asteroid.

“They must still be on that ship!” Allura shouted loudly from next to the fire they had been gathered around only an hour before. She was holding up Keith’s helmet, which he had taken off when they arrived to talk easier to Rolo.

“Keith wouldn’t have left with them without telling us, and he wouldn’t have done so without his helmet.” Shiro knew something was wrong after seeing the helmet. Keith had told him how much he didn’t feel comfortable around the trader throughout the day. Shiro should have listened.

“Lance’s helmet is still here too!” Pidge shouted as they held the blue helmet in their hands.

“We have to go after them. Come on!” Allura shouted as they all ran back to the Castle, the helmets of their missing teammates still in their hands.

“We’re stronger if we use both the Castle and the Lions. Shiro and I will go on ahead to see if we can find them. Hunk, we’ll need your Lion to stop that ship without harming Keith and Lance.” Pidge ordered as they all entered the pod bay.

“Alright, that’s a plan. Princess, can you back us up when we attack?” Shiro asked as they raced down the path down the middle of the bay.

“Affirmative. Coran and I will provide as much cover as possible. Hurry Paladins. I fear for our friends’ safety.” The group split up to go to their destination. Shiro just hoped they would make it to the ship in time to save Lance and Keith.

_“Are you trying to keep me close to you?” Keith asked jokingly as the door opened to reveal a very simple chamber. The chamber was nothing extravagant, but Lancel thought Keith would appreciate that more. Keith let go of Lancel’s hand to pull his travel coat off and set it on the hook near the door._

_“Maybe I am. Would that bother you?” The Altean Prince wasn’t joking as he entered the chamber fully. He moved close to the other Prince and reached for his hand again to hold it up to his lips. He pressed a soft kiss to Keith’s knuckles. “Maybe I would like to get to know you better before you have to leave again. Would that be rude of me?”_

_Keith didn’t pull his hand from Lancel’s grip as his breath hitched and his cheeks lit up in a blush. Lancel could feel Keith’s heartbeat speed up as Lancel looked at him. He was undeniably adorable with the expression on his face._

_“No, that wouldn’t be rude of you at all. I enjoyed our time together during my last visit.” There was something in Keith’s voice that brought a pool of new emotions to Lancel’s gut. He couldn’t - wouldn’t - put a name to it just yet. If there was one thing he knew, confessing love to someone he had only met twice wasn’t the way to get them. Keith may not have been like anyone he had ever met before, but he knew it would be a bad choice._

_It may scare him off too soon._

Lance woke up to the feeling of the ship starting up. It was a struggle to even lift his head to see what was happening, let alone his whole body. His head pounded in pain and his body felt heavy. Heavier than it should have. Realization dawned on him as he saw Keith lying next to him. They were alone on the ship with someone Lance considered an enemy. Surely, the rest of the team would realize something was wrong, right?

Keith was still unconscious. Their hands were bound behind their backs and, as Lance remembered, they didn’t have their helmets with them so they couldn’t call for help. They were sitting ducks in the bay of a ship they weren’t familiar with. Faintly, he heard Rolo talking to someone, someone who wasn’t Nyma or Beezer judging by the voice that sounded after him, and all Lance could hear was the phrase ‘turn the Paladins over’. He knew he wouldn’t like whatever Rolo had in store for them.

Lance distracted himself by staring at Keith. This was the first time Lance had actually taken the time to look at his Galran teammate. Keith’s hair was long and shaggy, most of it hanging in his face. It almost looked like a mullet, but Lance doubted the Galra knew what that was. Even with him lying down, Lance could tell Keith was shorter than him, but his shoulders were wide. It was like he was built larger than humans - and given how the other Galra he had met looked Lance was surprised Keith wasn’t bigger. His skin was a vibrant violet; flawless save for the scar running down the right side of his face. Lance nearly winced as he thought of how he had found the Red Paladin on Sendak’s ship. He was sure there were things Keith hadn’t told them, and honestly, he couldn’t blame him in the slightest. It simply made him nervous to see how he would react to being bound on another ship.

“Lance?” Keith’s voice was heavy with exhaustion, and his eyes were glazed over with sleep. Lance couldn’t help but admire how beautiful Keith looked like that. Immediately the Blue Paladin shook that thought from his mind and offered the other a smile.

“I’m here Keith.” Lance’s voice wavered with fear he was trying to swallow. They’d get out of the situation, one way or another. Lance had to keep telling himself that so he could keep the bare-threaded calm he had.

“Did they…?” Keith didn’t finish his question as he closed his eyes in pain, but Lance understood what he was asking.

“Yeah, looks like it. Don’t know where they’re taking us, though.” Lance didn’t tell what he had heard. Keith didn’t need to know. He tried not to grimace in the pain as the ship jerked to the side suddenly. Keith’s eyes snapped open as he felt the movement, and he stared at Lance in what Lance could only describe as fear. It would make sense; this was the second time that Keith was being held captive on an alien ship. Lance was scared. He knew Keith must have been terrified.

“We’ll be fine. I’m sure the others are in pursuit by now. Don’t worry, Keith. We’ll get out of here.” Lance needed to keep Keith from devolving as he noticed his breathing was becoming unsteady and frantic. As if Keith had forgotten how to breathe.

He needed a distraction. Quickly.

“Tell me about you and Lancel. You were soulmates, right? How did you meet?” It was a conversation he hadn’t been sure he wanted to have. He didn’t really know Keith. He realized as he tried to think of anything else they could talk about.

“I accompanied my father as part of his diplomatic embassy to Altea. Lancel saw me by the juniberry meadow when he went out to practice his studies.” Keith was slow as he talked, but Lance was patient. Honestly, hearing anything Keith wanted to say about his past was interesting. He felt like it brought him closer to Keith in an odd way.

“I fell for him that day. We didn’t know we were soulmates until a phoeb later during the juniberry festival. Lancel saw my mark while we were dancing. He showed me his later. I taught him how to pilot ships and defend himself. He showed me what it was like to be in love. We were going to enter into a union, had started the courtship a phoeb before the war started. I never got to say goodbye to him. He died by my own father’s attack.” Keith was silent for a moment, and Lance had a feeling he should divert the conversation before it became too heavy on the topic of death. Before Keith had a panic attack. Lance could practically hear it building. “We’re going to die here, aren’t we?”

Too late.

“No, we aren’t. They’re looking for us. Shiro and Pidge and Hunk and Allura and Coran. They’re all looking for us. We’ll get out of here, Keith, I promise.” Lance had no business promising something he himself had no idea how true it was. “Tell me about the things you and Lancel did. You said you taught him how to pilot, that must have been hard.”

Lance remembered some things about the dreams. For the most part, he remembered details that didn’t matter, like what kind of rain Altea got and how the Juniberries looked in the winter. The only major detail he remembered was the fact that Keith taught Lancel how to pilot. Talking about it may help Keith stay calm, however.

“He was a natural at it; we spent hours on practice. We were-” The ship jerked again and cut Keith off. Lance immediately began worming his way over to Keith, as if his proximity would help comfort the other Paladin. “How are they going to find us, Lance? We don’t even know where we are and we can’t contact them?”

“We’ll have to trust them. You trust Allura, don’t you?” Lance couldn’t let Keith lose hope. He just hoped the others found them soon.

“I trust Allura...but I...I want to go home, Lance.” His voice broke. He wanted to return to Altea, to spend another movement with Lancel. Keith wasn’t ready to admit that he was scared, but he was sure that Lance could see the fear in his expression. His own planet was gone. Altea was gone. He had nowhere to call home anymore.

“You will...I’ll get you home, Keith.” Lance knew that was a promise he couldn’t keep. Daibazaal was gone. There was no way he could bring an entire planet back just for one person to return. He could, however, make a new home for him.

One way or another, Lance would make Keith feel at home. With him, with the other Paladins. The Castle could be his new home.

“They’re getting away. We need to cut them off before they hit that asteroid belt.” Pidge was in charge of tracking the ship as they followed it. Their scanners had a longer range than the Yellow or Black Lion and could follow at a closer distance than the Castle. It was a slight change to their initial plan, but all of them would do whatever it took to get their friends back.

“Princess give me cover. I’m going to cut them off. Hunk, Pidge cut off any escape route they could use. We need to surround them.” Shiro knew they only had one shot at this; otherwise, they would possibly lose Keith and Lance forever. Shiro shifted the handles that controlled the Lion and urged for Black to be faster than Rolo’s ship. A blast hitting the back of the ship slowed Rolo down and allowed Shiro to get in front of him. Hunk and Pidge came up on either side of Rolo’s ship with the Castle taking up position behind them. Shiro sent a transmission to Rolo as soon as they had them cornered.

“Return our friends and we won’t destroy your ship.” It was a bluff - Shiro wasn’t going to destroy their ship while their friends were still onboard. That didn’t mean he couldn’t threaten it.

“We need to land to do that. That planet over there is stable enough for everyone to land.” Rolo had hoped he could outrun the Paladins. He should have known that any weapon Zarkon wanted would be powerful. There was no way he could simply wait for the Galra to come and get his cargo, which meant he and Nyma were now out of options in terms of clearing their debts.

Rolo followed Shiro down to the planet surface. It was far enough from the system’s sun that it was cold but not covered in ice like some of the planets Rolo had landed on before. The wind was freezing, and it frosted the tips of the yellow blades of grass as well as each boulder they came across. The soil was a soft brown color and gave slightly under their ships.

“Nyma, open the bay door,” Rolo ordered as he stood from his pilot seat and made his way down to the bay. The Red and Blue Paladins were still lying where they had left them, but Rolo knew they were awake. Though the Galra’s eyes were shut tightly, he seemed to be having trouble breathing. The other had wormed his way over, so he was nearly flush against his friends’ body.

“Where are they, Rolo?” Shiro’s angry voice seemed to calm the Galra down as his breathing slowed and his eyes relaxed, though they were still closed. Rolo leaned down and released the cuffs that restrained them.

“Keith! Lance!” Pidge shouted as they ran over to where Rolo stood. Hunk had his cannon trained on Rolo in case the trader decided to try and capture the rest of them. That was the other reason Allura and Coran were inside, waiting to attack if needed. Shiro stalked closer to the group, keeping his eyes on Rolo rather than the two Paladins on the floor.

Pidge helped Lance stand up and immediately passed him off to Shiro. Keith was harder to get off the floor. He flinched at Pidge’s touch as they gently laid a hand on his shoulder. They heard Lance mumble something about a panic attack and took a deep breath.

“Keith? It’s me Pidge. I need you to take a deep breath for me, can you do that?” For all the knowledge Pidge had, they did not know how to properly take care of a panic attack. And worst, they didn’t have the emotional capacity to empathize with him like he probably needed. Shiro pulled them out of the way and knelt next to Keith instead. Pidge watched as Shiro got Keith’s breathing under control using a much softer voice than Pidge had and gently brushing his fingers through Keith’s hair.

“I’m going to pick you up, alright?” Keith’s agreement was a small nod of his head that Shiro would have missed if he blinked, but it was enough for him. He picked up the smaller man as gently as he could before turning and walking off of the ship without another glance at the trader. Nyma had entered the bay at some point. When they noticed her, Pidge merely glared at her and grabbed Lance’s arm to help him out of the bay as well. Hunk was the last one out. Rolo and Nyma followed if only to apologize.

“We’re sorry. The Galra have a bounty out on our heads, and this would have cleared it. It was nothing personal.” Rolo was a damn good trader - he could trade almost anything he got his hands on - but he was terrible at apologies. Usually, that was left to Nyma, but since it had been his idea in the first place - as had been the idea to steal the sentry from the Galra - it wouldn’t have been fair to make her apologize.

“It’s far from alright, but I will make you a deal. You tell me what you know about any form of a rebellion movement against the Galra and I won’t blow up your ship and leave you stranded again.” Princess Allura was standing just outside of the Castle, arms crossed and face twisted in fury. Rolo got the feeling they had crossed the wrong people again, and it was his fault.

“That’s fair. I know of two movements. However, both are pretty secretive. The Blade of Marmora is run by a man named Kolivan. The other rebellion doesn’t have a name, but I know the woman who runs it. She goes by the alias of Lady Gilla, and last I heard they were moving their camp. I couldn’t tell you where they are headed, just that they recently left Ximone-065 in the Xiverth system.” Rolo wished he knew more to tell the princess in front of him, but it was all the information he had. Lady Gilla and her followers didn’t really trust Rolo and Nyma, not since they had tried to trade one of their spies to the Galran Prince Lotor. They usually sent whatever information they had through one of Nyma’s contacts and clients, Slegirs. Rolo was certain he would get skinned by the Zurg if he tried to give them her contact information.

“Blade of Marmora?” That was the second time that the group was mentioned. Allura desperately needed to find out who they were. She waited until Hunk had gotten on the Castle since she had already watched the other four paladins get on before she thanked Rolo and turned to walk to the Castle. She paused before she got very far.

“Let me just say this once as a warning. If you ever try to take any of our paladins again, you will regret it. A broken ship will be the least of your worries. I’m being merciful only this one time. If you wish to redeem yourself from this, you will get us in contact with this Lady Gilla.” With that threat, Allura returned the Castle. Alteans believed in being peaceful above all else, but when their families were harmed or threatened, that belief was null and void.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Edited 12/15/2020 for clarity


	7. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> King Alfor is a dick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter has mention of past rape, torture, and abuse. It's not graphic but it is there. There are two mentions and I've indicated both. The first is more graphic than the second but both are indicated. If you wish to bypass it, skip the area between the lines.

“Coran?” Allura’s voice broke the adviser’s concentration. He had been looking at the medical analysis file and body scan for vargas, to the point he hadn’t even realized it was the night cycle already. He found out quite a bit, too. He looked up from the screens he was looking at to see Allura dressed in her nightgown, staring at him from the doorway. She looked worried.

“Yes, Princess?” No matter how much he wanted to solve the puzzle that was Lance, Allura always came first. She was his priority as both King Alfor’s last wish and the sheer fact that he was practically her uncle. He had been there for her entire life; he wasn’t going to stop helping her through whatever she was going through now.

“You should be resting. You gave me some of your quintessence to help with the ceremony. How did you even do that?” Allura walked further into the chamber and took a seat on one of the medical beds. The chamber wasn’t used often - only when they had extreme medical cases that the pods wouldn’t fix.

“I supplemented your quintessence with someone’s which was similar. Another Altean. I have a hypothesis and the fact that I was able to use Lance’s quintessence to help you fuels it.” Coran had wanted to wait to tell Allura about his hypothesis. The body scan, medical analysis file from the pod, and his own experience told him he was right.

“Lance is Altean?” Allura asked, shocked. Her hand stopped moving where she had been brushing her hair out, leaving the brush tangled in her long white hair.

“I hadn’t been sure at the time, but yes, I believe he is. Or rather, his quintessence is. His body scans and medical file all say he’s human but his quintessence is...well it is almost an exact match for Lancel’s. I hadn’t thought it was possible but I was able to use his quintessence to supplement your own.” Coran wasn’t sure if he was making any sense.

“Lance is Lancel? But I don’t understand. Lancel...he…” Allura didn’t even know where to begin asking her questions. It wasn’t possible for her brother to be alive still, was it? What about Keith? They were soulmates, weren’t they? Their souls were supposed to find each other again even if they died. Could that mean…?

“It is my belief that Lancel has been reborn as Lance. He died before his time. With the fact that Lance’s quintessence matches Lancel’s while his body is still human, it is the only hypothesis I could reach. So yes, Lance is Lancel to an extent. He’s been having dreams of Lancel’s life. From what he said, they started before he met us.” Coran had only heard of one case of reincarnation, or rather one confirmed case, but it was nothing like this. That time, both soulmates had been reincarnated, not just one.

Allura had heard the stories. Usually, when souls reincarnate they do so near each other so they could find one another easier. Keith and Lance weren’t anywhere near each other, though. There had been no guarantee that they would find each other. “How?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe their quintessence had started merging before the courtship. Looking at Keith’s medical file, his quintessence holds a signature similar to Lancel’s within. The medical file created when Lancel was in the pod for the last time shows he also held some of Keith’s quintessence.” Coran frowned while looking down at the files.

“What do we do about this? Should we tell them?” Allura loved Keith like she loved her brother. He and his sister were the children of Zarkon, the same man who had destroyed her world and killed her family, but they hadn’t been the cause. Neither were even there to fight against their father - but they also hadn’t fought for him. She was conflicted. He should have fought by her father’s side. He hadn’t done anything. No, he was there for Lancel when Allura wasn’t. That was enough. Keith did what he felt was right.

“We can’t let them know about this until they are ready. Lance barely remembers the dreams he has but he knows things he shouldn’t. He knew about the fact that Altea had storms of falling rocks without me explaining them to him and he recognized you when you woke up from the cryopod. Keith is still stuck on his memories of Lancel. Maybe that’s where we start. Get them talking, see if the memories come back to Lance.” Coran seemed to know how to put Allura at ease. He put his hand on her shoulder and offered her a smile. “You can’t rush this. Keith is still mourning, maybe even more than you and I. Lance doesn’t even understand what’s happening. These things take time.”

Allura supposed Coran was right but time would tell. Hopefully, if Coran was correct on his hypothesis, Lance would be able to make Keith happy again.

“I’m going to go talk to my father before I head back to bed. Please, get some rest, Coran.” Allura stood up and made her way out of the chamber before Coran could protest. There were things she needed to ask her father and she would rather get the answers before she went to sleep.

_“Allura, I thought you would be sleeping.”_ Allura walked onto the holodeck to see a replica of the juniberry meadow. Just like every other time she talked with her father.

“I spoke with Coran. He told me something interesting. I was hoping you could tell me what happened after I was put in the cryopod.” Allura herself only remembered being put to sleep by her father’s quintessence on the bridge. What she did know was that Lancel wasn’t in a pod when they had woken up - even though he had been in one before Allura was put to sleep.

_“What’s there to tell? I piloted the Castle away from Altea to save you and Coran before returning to fight Zarkon again.”_ It was too simple. Allura knew there was more to the story than just that.

“What about Lancel? And Keith? Keith had been with Lancel in the pod chamber while Lancel’s wound healed. One or both of them should have been in the chamber as well when we woke up.” Allura wasn’t ready to admit she had been too late to save her brother. He was strong. Stronger than her. He had to have made it out of the pod alive. She also wasn’t sure if she should mention Keith being taken by Zarkon yet.

_“Lancel died in the pod. When I saw him there...with Keith by his side I was angry. I did something I will regret for as long as my memory is confined to this core. Keith reminded me so much of Zarkon that I couldn’t bear the sight of him. Zarkon was once my friend, and I had accepted the fact that Keith and Lancel were soulmates, but to see my son dead while his Galran soulmate still lived angered me. I let that anger control me.”_ Allura gasped and looked up down at the flowers below her. No. Her father couldn’t have done what he was implying. Could he?

“Don’t tell me you…?” She could almost feel Alfor’s hand on her cheeks like he used to do when she was younger. Back when she needed comfort over the smallest things. She was no longer that girl. She had seen the worst the world had to offer. She was stronger than she used to be.

_“I did. Keith didn’t even try to fight me. You know he loved Lancel with his every breath. I left them in the pod chamber. When I returned with you and Coran, they were both gone. Keith had left a trail of blood through the castle. I cleaned it up before leaving Altea. I found them both in the juniberry meadow.”_ Alfor regretted his actions the instant he saw his son and Keith lying dead in the meadow. Keith had been like a son to him as much as Lancel and Allura. Alfor knew that Keith would have protested the war had he been there when Zarkon declared it. Keith had never been a huge fan of his father, and once he and Lancel realized they were in love with each other, he spent nearly all of his time on Altea.

“But why? Keith wasn’t...He had no part in the war.” Allura found herself angry. No wonder Keith had been so hesitant to speak to her father. He had tried to kill the Galra.

_“I made a mistake. I saw a Galra and I killed him. If I could apologize to him now, I would.”_ Alfor looked like he was regretting his mistake, but Allura surely wasn’t about to let him talk to Keith.

“I’m sorry, father. Keith won’t want to see you. You may have found him in the meadow but he wasn’t dead. Zarkon’s druids found him and brought him to his father. He’s been tortured for the last ten thousand decaphoebs. He’s our Red Paladin now.” Allura had never felt so angry by her own father. No. She was more than angry. She was livid. Protective. Keith was the love of her brother’s life. He deserved better. “I’m going to bed now.”

The holodeck turned off as soon as Allura opened the door. She missed her father’s shocked look before the hologram of him flickered off. If there was one thing Allura was sure of, it was that she really needed to talk to Keith.

She found him on the training deck. He was training against the gladiator and Allura was mesmerized. Keith had tried teaching her self-defense techniques once after threats were made against her, but she had refused. Allura did watch him teach Lancel how to defend himself. It was really all she had ever seen of his fighting abilities. Now, she got the chance to see what had made him such an impressive soldier.

Keith stopped the simulation and turned to her, his face damp with sweat. He was shirtless, giving her a good view of the soul mark she had seen on her brother’s chest so many times. He paused toweling himself off when he saw her.

“Did you need something, Allura?” He was nearly breathless as he spoke. How long had he been training? “Shouldn’t you be resting?”

“I actually wanted to talk.” How should she begin the conversation? She couldn’t just admit that she knew her father had tried to kill him. Well, maybe she could. Keith was very blunt with his words, surely he’d appreciate the same from her.

“I was going to shower and go to bed but I don’t see why that can’t wait.” He pulled his shirt back on and moved towards the doorway she was standing next to.

“Allow me to walk you back to your chamber. Coran tells me he put you in the chamber you shared with Lancel.” Useless small talk. She had been the one to tell Coran to put him there. She wanted him to be comfortable.

“He did. It’s nice to feel close to Lancel.” Allura was aware of how much he missed his soulmate. She didn’t realize how much that one action meant to him though. “That’s not what you wanted to talk about, though, is it?”

“Always observative.” She smiled as they began walking down the halls. “I was speaking to Coran and my father earlier. I should apologize. I have been pressuring you to speak with my father since you emerged from the pod. If I had known what he did, I wouldn’t have mentioned him at all.”

“He told you?” Keith had regained his breath but his voice was still soft. “I didn’t want you to think any different of him. He had just lost many of his people and his own son. To my people. I would hate me too.”

Allura was silent for a moment. How could Keith defend the man who had tried to kill him? It would have made much more sense for him to hate her father.

“You shouldn’t. You didn’t hide how much you hated your father even before the war. My father should have known you didn’t have anything to do with the war. I shouldn’t have pushed you to talk to him.” Allura almost jumped when she felt Keith’s hand on her shoulder. They were nearing his chamber. Had they sped up on the way or was she that unobservant?

“You were like a son to him, Keith. He put you in the position you were when you were captured by the druids. Who knows what Haggar and your father did to you while you were in their hold?” Allura was getting louder now. Keith tried to hush her, knowing that if she kept talking at her current volume, Lance would hear her.

“Listen, Allura, I know what I went through. There were many times I had wished your father had finished me off before the druids found me. Haggar still haunts me. You don’t know what she did...what my own father did to me, but I do. You told me I’m strong but I’m not. Haggar broke me long ago.” He was just a shell of who he used to be. He was simply going through the motions of living. Tears stung at his eyes.

“Keith…” He shook his head, stopping her from continuing.

“They made me watch. Every time Lancel was reborn they found him and made me watch as they killed him again. For decaphoebs. There were at least six of them ‘Llura.” The tears spilled over silently. Keith fell to his knees, clutching at the bottom of Allura’s gown.

Lance couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t like his body wasn’t tired. He felt like he had been drained of energy and he couldn’t figure out what happened. He let everyone else believe it was because he was still healing but Coran had a look in his eye when it was mentioned. No, it was his mind that refused to let him sleep.

He slipped out of bed and tucked his feet into his slippers. Maybe a drink of water would help him relax. As soon as he got to his door, he heard talking. Keith. He sounded so upset. Lance wanted to go out and see, to figure out what had made his silent teammate so upset.

_“You don’t know what she did...what my own father did to me, but I do. You told me I’m strong but I’m not. Haggar broke me long ago.”_ Who was he talking to? Lance stayed for a moment.

_“Keith…”_ Allura. He was talking to Allura. It shouldn’t surprise Lance at all. They had met before the war even began.

_“They made me watch. Every time Lancel was reborn they found him and made me watch as they killed him again. For decaphoebs. There were at least six of them ‘Llura.”_ Reborn? As in reincarnation? Was that why Lance had the same soul mark as someone who had already met theirs?

_“It wasn’t real, Keith. None of it was real. Zarkon was tricking you.”_

_“My father is a bastard but even he wouldn’t do that. Haggar did. I saw them. I saw their soul marks even if their faces were different. And Sendak...he was so much worse.”_ Wait, did Keith just say his father was Zarkon?

_“I think that’s enough for tonight, Keith. Let’s get you into bed. We can talk about this later.”_ Lance held his breath as if they would hear him by his own door. Moments passed in near silence before Lance heard Allura’s soft footsteps pass by his door. He waited another moment before opening his door. He definitely needed that glass of water now.

The metal of the walls was thick but it did little to muffle Keith’s cries. Lance let out the breath he had still been holding. Maybe offering Keith a drink would help him calm down. He quickly made his way to the kitchen and grabbed two glasses out. He filled them both with water and drank one before he returned to his room as quickly as he could without spilling the water.

Keith had quieted down when he returned but that didn’t stop Lance from knocking on his door. There was a shuffle behind the door before it opened, revealing Keith without his shirt on and his eyes red and puffy. Suddenly, Lance realized he hadn’t thought of what to say.

When the knock came at his door, Keith thought it was Allura. She often didn’t let things go when she should have. Instead, he found Lance, wearing only a pair of light blue pants and slippers. Just on the bone of his hip Keith could see his soul mark. The very bottom of it was hidden by the hem of Lance’s pants but the rest Keith knew well. Lance held out the glass of water Keith hadn’t noticed before.

“Uh, I brought you some water. I kind of overheard you and Allura earlier.” He cursed in his head. Of course, Lance heard them. They hadn’t been quiet. He took the glass from Lance and shifted so the smaller Paladin could walk in.

“I guess we should talk then.”

Keith’s room wasn’t like what Lance expected it to be. There were trinkets and jewelry all over the place. Drapes of fabric and strings of beads hanging off the dressing table and wardrobe. The colors were all bright, but Keith never wore bright colors. He was almost always found in black clothing. There were photographs all over the room as well, some depicting Lancel and Keith but most of Lancel with his family. Lance’s eyes widened as he realized the room must have been Lancel’s at one point.

“What all did you hear?” Keith was wracked with nerves. He hadn’t wanted anyone to hear that conversation. He hadn’t even wanted to tell Allura those things.

“Haggar did something to you. I can’t say I understand what you were talking about but I do understand you are upset. I also heard you imply that Zarkon is your father.” Lance tore his eyes away from the decorations in the room to look at Keith. Keith sighed and took a seat on his bed.

“Lancel was my soulmate. He died too soon. Sometimes when that happens, the universe gives us a second chance. And a third and a fourth. However many it takes for them to be happy I guess. Haggar used to hunt down each reincarnation of Lancel and have them killed in front of me.” Keith sipped at the water to calm him. “It went beyond trying to interrogate me. She wanted me to be unable to fight back against Zarkon. My father. I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret. I have enough problems referring to him as a parent. He let Haggar do all that to me. Sometimes he even watched. Once he told me it would have been better if one of them had been Altean so he could get the pleasure of killing Lancel again.”

Lance didn’t say anything as he moved to stand in front of Keith. He pulled the hem of his pants down just enough to reveal the rest of his soul mark. “When I rescued you, when we were in the Blue Lion, I saw your soul mark. It’s the same as mine. I thought it had to be a mistake. You already met your soulmate, after all. If Lancel is being reincarnated is it possible…?”

Keith stared at the mark in silence. Was that why Haggar hadn’t bothered him in nearly twenty decaphoebs? Could she just not find his soulmate?

“It’s possible. I’ve seen many variations of Lancel but you look so much like him. More than the others did. Your quintessence feels like his too. I thought I was going insane. I thought I was imagining the similarities because I wanted him back so badly.” Keith wanted to touch the mark, to see if it gave him the same feeling as Lancel’s had the first time he touched it. He hesitated.

“Is there a way we can be sure?” Lance seemed eager to know so Keith nodded his head and slowly lifted his hand to the mark. He gently touched two of his fingers to the mark. His fingers warmed almost instantly. A gasp from Lance brought his attention back to the Blue Paladin’s face. Lance had felt it too. He reached down and pressed two fingers to Keith’s own mark and a warm heat spread through his body.

“That was…-” Lance couldn’t describe how it felt to touch Keith’s mark. It was warm, warmer than his skin should have been; the warmth felt comforting. He had only figured out one answer to one question but it was something. With that answer came a new problem. Haggar had killed reincarnations of Keith’s soulmate, what was to stop her from coming after him as well.

“Will Haggar be searching for me? Now that we know I’m your soulmate?” Admitting that was awkward but the question needed to be brought up. Keith rested his head lightly against Lance’s stomach, his large, fluffy ears twitching slightly against his skin. It tickled but Lance did his best not to flinch away. He laid his hand gently on Keith’s hair.

“I won’t let her find you.” Lance needed to hear that as much as Keith needed to say it. As if saying it would bring them both comfort.

Allura found Coran the next morning in the exact place she had found him the night before. She took a deep breath, steeling her nerves for what she was about to tell him, and stepped into the room. Coran looked up at her when the door closed behind her.

“Princess?” Coran immediately set the file down and gave her his full attention. Allura walked over to where he was and sat in front of him.

“I spoke to my father last night, and then Keith right after. Father told me that he intended to kill Keith. He allowed his hatred to get the better of him and even though he had loved Keith as much as he loved Lancel, he still attacked him.” Allura wasn’t looking at Coran, meaning she didn’t see how angry he was. He loved his King, had sworn his loyalty to Alfor since he had taken the throne. He also loved Lancel and Keith. They were like his own sons as much as Allura was like his daughter. He didn’t get the chance to mourn Lancel’s life, and he didn’t know how he or Allura would cope if Keith had also died. They both cared deeply for him. Coran had never felt so angry in his life, even when Zarkon blamed Altea for the destruction of the Galra home planet.

“Your hypothesis may be correct. Keith told me that Zarkon’s witch tracked down every incarnation of Lancel and killed them in front of him. He swears that the soul mark was the same even if the person didn’t look like Lancel. He suffered while in captivity and…and my father betrayed him even more than his own father had.” Coran pulled Allura into a hug. They both knew how much Keith had hated his father, and how much he had viewed them as his family.

“We can’t change the past, Allura, but we can protect them both now. They may not know about their relation to each other yet, but we will keep them both safe. I know since the beginning Lance has reminded you of Lancel, but now we know why. Let’s not lose him a second time.” Coran released Allura and she stood up, smiling.

“Thank you Coran. I think Shiro wants to begin the process of retrieving Sendak’s memories soon, if you don’t mind taking a break.” Coran frowned but stood and followed Allura out of the room.

Lance didn’t even remember falling asleep after his talk with Keith. He remembered sitting next to the Galra and simply listening to him talk about the past but he barely remembered anything after Keith’s comment about his sister being the worst pilot in their galaxy. He woke up in his own room, however. If it hadn’t been for the glass of water on his desk, which hadn’t been there the night before, he would have thought it was a dream.

Lance walked down to the dining chamber to be met with a nearly empty room. Pidge and Keith were the only two at the table, finishing up whatever Hunk had served for breakfast. There was a bowl full of food at the seat next to Keith, waiting for him. He took a seat silently.

“Everyone else is down in the prison cells. Apparently, Shiro and Allura decided it would be a worthwhile idea to upload Sendak’s memories into a memory core like Allura’s dad’s memories were to see if they can interrogate him. Shiro wants to get the upper hand on the Galra.” Pidge explained when Lance asked where the others were. It wasn’t that late in the morning, even if he had slept in a bit.

“I still think it’s a bad idea. Who knows what kind of trouble that could lead to.” Keith had sided with Coran when the adviser had expressed his own concern over the idea. Hunk had supported Shiro and Allura even though he also acknowledged the risks involved. Pidge hadn’t agreed with either, no matter how much Shiro pressed them about finding their family. It had gotten so bad, Pidge actually screamed at Shiro to leave them alone. That was why Pidge and Keith had stayed behind in the dining chamber to wait for Lance.

“Have we even gotten all of the energy from Sendak’s crystal out of our systems yet? That should be our first priority.” Lance began eating, surprised that Hunk had made the goo taste even better than the last time he adjusted the flavor.

“Once you’re finished eating, we’ll go down to see their progress. Who knows, maybe Coran was right and it won’t work.” Keith could hope Pidge was right. It was bad enough he knew Sendak was on the ship. He didn’t need to hear his voice.

Even though Coran was against the entire idea, he allowed Hunk to help him adjust the device needed to pull memories so it would work on Sendak. They had to be careful. One wrong move and the systems in the Castle would crash. He almost hoped it wouldn’t work, so that they wouldn’t risk the Castle.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway as Pidge, Keith, and Lance joined them. None of them spoke up as they came to a stop near one of the empty cell pods. Keith was the furthest from the pod Sendak was held in and refused to look at him, unlike Shiro who split his attention between the device Coran was working on and Sendak himself. No one else outright avoided looking at Sendak but they weren’t staring at him like Shiro.

“There we go.” Coran was talking to himself but it caught everyone’s attention regardless. He straightened up and pressed a button on the device. He looked over to the container next to Sendak’s pod, to capture the essence of Sendak’s memories. “Let’s see if this works.”

Nothing happened. Lance let out a breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding. It wasn’t often he desperately hoped an experiment wouldn’t work but this was definitely one of those times.

“Is it supposed to do that?” Shiro asked, looking at the empty container.

“Coran did say this technique was typically used on willing patients. It may take time because Sendak isn’t a willing participant in this.” Coran nodded along with Keith. “Those loyal to Zarkon would do anything to keep the information they have a secret.”

Shiro gave a disappointed grunt, turning his attention back to Sendak. Allura was also disappointed but she knew there hadn’t been a high chance of them succeeding.

“Let’s give it some time then. I’m going to go talk to my father. Let me know if anything happens.” Allura left after shooting a sideways glance to Keith. Said Galra resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her and pushed off the pod he was leaning against.

“I’m going to train.” Keith didn’t give anyone time to respond as he walked in the opposite direction as Allura. Lance knew that something had happened between them but he was curious as to what exactly.

“I need to go finish the modifications I was making to the Green Lion.” Pidge left next. Followed by Hunk, who insisted on checking on the Balmerans before they left.

“Lance, I need help cleaning the pods, will you help me?” It was the last thing Lance wanted to do but since he had nothing better to do, he shrugged and agreed. Shiro stayed behind to keep an eye on Sendak. Lance bit his tongue. Shiro was more obsessed with Sendak than Allura was. Instead, he followed Coran to the infirmary.

Hunk’s trip to visit the Balmerans was very short. They had done most of their restoration the day before and now, they were simply happy to do whatever they wanted. Pleased that everything was okay with them, Hunk returned to the Castle. Breakfast wasn’t that long ago but the rumbling in Hunk’s stomach told him he needed to eat. He headed to the kitchen immediately, bumping into Pidge on the way.

“I thought you were working on an upgrade for the Green Lion?” He asked as the smallest Paladin fell into step next to him.

“I need food. This whole situation has me stressed.” Pidge hadn’t slept the night before and had gotten only a few hours the night before. The desire to find their family kept them from relaxing, and it fueled their need for a distraction. Since the Kerberos mission was deemed a failure, Pidge had done some of their best work. It still didn’t help their dad and brother.

“Huh, something’s not right with the dispenser.” The two had arrived in the kitchen after another few minutes of walking. Hunk had immediately gone to get them both food, but the hose that dispensed the goo wasn’t working. He smacked his hand against the hose in an effort to see if it was just clogged. When that didn’t work he tried looking inside through the open end, as if he would be able to see inside. What he got was a face full of goo as the hose began spewing it out. He shoved it away from his face so he could breathe. Pidge tossed him a plate so he could block the goo as the hose slashed through the air in front of him. It took time, but he was able to get behind the opening of the hose and tied the hose in a knot to stop the onslaught of goo.

The kitchen was a mess. Both Paladins were covered in goo, the kitchen was splattered with it. They decided to leave the mess for Coran to clean up. In case the hose malfunctioned again.

“How are you feeling?” Lance had just finished cleaning the second to last pod when Coran spoke. Lance paused and turned to look at the adviser next to him.

“I’m still tired but not as much as Allura seems to be.” That could have been because he didn’t get to sleep until who knew when. Actually, Keith probably knew.

“Well, that’s good. I’m sorry I had to use your quintessence to give to Allura.” Coran said that so casually as if it were normal to give someone’s quintessence to someone else.

“You what?” Was that why he felt like he had suddenly lost energy during the fight with the robeast?

“The scans taken when you first entered the Castle as well as the medical file from the pod show that your quintessence is a near-exact match for Lancel’s. I thought you would be able to help keep Allura alive, but I couldn’t risk asking you while you were in battle.” Coran finished his last pod and turned to Lance.

“So you just did it without asking? What if you took too much? I could have lost control of my lion or died!?!” The glass of the pod Lance had been cleaning lifted up just as he went to finish cleaning it. He almost fell in and would have if it hadn’t been for Coran grabbing him. The glass slammed down almost as soon as Lance was pulled away from it.

“Is that supposed to happen?” Lance’s anger was momentarily forgotten as he and Coran stared at the pod. Somehow the cryogenic settings were turned on and the glass iced up as it froze.

“No, it’s not. I need to check the systems. Before I go, Lance, I’m sorry for not asking you for your quintessence or telling you about it earlier. I had a hypothesis and I wanted to test it. I do believe you are the reincarnation of Lancel.” Coran turned to walk out. If Lance hadn’t figured it out already, he would have been shocked. “We can discuss it more after I make sure the system isn’t corrupted.”

“Keith and I already figured that out, Coran. Last night. I have the same soul mark as him.” That caused Coran to stop and turn. Lance had lifted his shirt to show the soul mark and Coran immediately knew it was true.

“That would have been easier than going through the files. Why didn’t you say anything?” Lance dropped his shirt.

“Because I didn’t think it was possible. I thought it was a mistake. I’ve never heard of a person having the same soul mark as someone who has already met their soulmate before.” That was the simple answer. There were more reasons, but Lance didn’t want to dive into them. The point was that he and Keith had figured it out already. Lance pushed past Coran to walk out of the infirmary. He needed to get his mind off of what the adviser told him.

“I’m going to take a nap.”

Keith knew something wrong when the training program didn’t stop when he ordered it to. The gladiator bot kept walking towards him and Keith had to think quickly after it had put him on his back twice. The bot wasn’t exactly running for him but it was quickly approaching and he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to get rid of it. Wait…

Keith ran to the other side of the deck to the door as fast as he could. Once he was in the clear, he ordered the system to turn on the invisible maze and hoped it would work. Without waiting to see if it had worked, he opened the door. The moment he was on the other side, he closed it. When he didn’t hear anything from the other side indicating the gladiator was trying to break through, he let out a sigh of relief. Maybe he should find a better way to occupy his time.

As he made his way back to his chamber, Keith saw Lance behind the first door of the airlock. The system was counting down, and Keith knew he had to act fast. He opened the door, gripping the control panel hard, and reached out to Lance. The outer doors opened just as Lance grabbed Keith’s hand. Keith pulled hard as soon as he felt Lance’s grip.

Keith pulled Lance inside just in time. The airlock doors shut with Lance safely on the ground, even if he ended up pressed against his Galran teammate. A blush made its way to his cheeks.

“Uh...we should find Coran.” Keith agreed.

The smell of the Juniberry meadow used to calm Allura down. Now, that sweet, earthy smell she was so used to was muted. She hadn’t spoken a word to her father, even though the hologram of him was sitting not too far from her. Allura had gone to bed angry and she was still angry. At her father. At Zarkon. At Haggar. At the entire situation.

Her father allowed her to remain silent. He had made a mistake, one he couldn’t take back, and this was the fallout. If he could go back and rein in his anger instead of lashing out at Keith, he would do so in a heartbeat. He couldn’t. Even if he was alive, time travel was impossible. He should consider himself lucky that Keith hadn’t come to pay him a visit yet.

“Did you know Zarkon allowed his witch to torture his own son. Apparently, Haggar would hunt down every reincarnation of Lancel and kill them in front of Keith.” Allura was still working through what she had heard the previous night. She wasn’t looking for a reply. In fact, she had almost forgotten her father’s presence entirely. It didn’t settle well in her stomach. This was the first time she had truly been angry at her father.

“I’m sure they did more. He claimed Sendak was worse. I hadn’t even taken his feelings into account when I decided we were going to extract Sendak’s memories. He begged me not to; to just let Sendak rot but I ignored him. It’s too late now. We’ve already started the extraction.” Allura had regretted her decision when she saw the way Keith had avoided even looking in the direction of Sendak’s pod.

_“Allura,”_ Alfor started, reaching out to place his hand over Allura’s. She moved out of the way, sitting upright abruptly.

“It was a mistake coming here.” She had thought being surrounded by the familiar would make her feel better about her choice. It hadn’t. Instead, her anger was fueled more. Movement caught her attention and she looked over at her father.

_“I can take you home, Allura. Back to Altea. You miss your home, don’t you?”_ Alfor picked one of the Juniberry flowers and held it out to his daughter. She hesitated. She wanted to go home more than anything. She wanted to see her family, watch her brother being disgustingly cute with his soulmate, smell the Juniberries for herself. She wanted to forget the war completely.

“Yes, more than anything.” Her anger simmered until it was nearly nonexistent.

_“Then come with me and I’ll show you the way.”_ Alfor moved to the door, Allura right behind him. Had the Castle’s systems not malfunctioned, he wouldn’t have been able to leave the holodeck. He should be thankful for that Galran crystal. It would bring his daughter back to him.

Coran hadn’t been surprised as either of the Paladins described what happened to them. Instead of explaining what he had found, Coran guided them all to the Green Lion’s hangar where Pidge had been working on experimenting. As the doors opened, Pidge and Hunk fell to the ground with startled shouts.

“This isn’t the time to be laying around guys.” Lance was on edge. More than he had ever been before. Keith placed his hand on Lance’s shoulder to calm him down while looking over at their teammates.

“We weren’t lying around. The gravity turned off by itself!” Pidge argued as they began to stand up.

“Earlier, we were attacked by food too,” Hunk added, also standing up.

“It’s Sendak’s crystal. Lance was nearly frozen in a cryopod and shot out of the airlock. Keith was attacked by a training bot. When we plugged Sendak’s memories into the Castle, the systems went haywire. I’ve found more Galran energy in the systems than there should be.” Coran explained, walking over to the crystal to examine it. “The infection must have been worse than we thought.”

“We need to get rid of that Crystal, asap.” Lance hadn’t moved, the comfort of Keith’s hand on his shoulder, keeping him grounded while a panic attack rose.

“It’s too late. Sendak’s memories and energy seem to be enhancing the effects of the infection. We shouldn’t have tried to pull his memories in the first place, but even worse, we did it while the infection was still in the Castle.” Keith realized something. He knew that Allura was talking to her father, and the five of them were in the hangar.

“Where’s Shiro?” Pidge beat him to the question. The Black Paladin had opted to stay with Sendak. Surely he wasn’t still down there, right?

No one said anything as they all ran out of the hangar in unison. Pidge led the way, followed by Keith and Lance with Coran and Hunk bringing up the rear.

\-------------------------

_“We’re connected, you and me. Both part of the Galra Empire.”_ Sendak’s voice agitated something in Shiro’s memory. He couldn’t describe what made him feel so…uneasy. He had only personally met Sendak once, but even then, his voice sent shivers down Shiro’s spine.

“I’m nothing like you.” He wasn’t. Shiro was human. He was a paladin. He was destined to protect the universe from people like Sendak.

_“You’ve been broken and reformed. Just look at your hand.”_ Shiro glanced at his hand before clenching the prosthetic’s fist.

“That’s not me!” It was a mistake talking to Sendak. Trying to get any information from the commander was just making him feel worse.

_“That’s the strongest part of you. Embrace it. The others don’t know what you know. They haven’t seen what you’ve seen. Well, except for my other prisoner. Face it. You’ll never beat Zarkon. Not with that worthless prince on your side. He’s already beaten you.”_ Sendak mentioning Keith brought a surprised gasp to Shiro’s lips.

“He isn’t worthless. He’s just as much a part of our team as any of us.” He slammed his fist against the glass.

_“Did the disgraced prince tell you what I did to him? All the depraved things I’ve done to break him? Did he tell you how much he enjoyed when I shoved my cock into his mouth or took him like the whore he is?”_ It wasn’t true. Keith would...no he wouldn’t tell them. He hadn’t told them anything and Lance didn’t mention how he had found the other man. Shiro didn’t respond to Sendak’s taunt. Bile rose in his throat as he thought about the potential it could have been true.

_“Do you really think a monster like you could be a Paladin?”_

“Stop it!” The glass cracked with another hit from Shiro’s fist. He panted as he stood up straight. No. He couldn’t do this. It would have been better if Allura interrogated Sendak. He turned and began walking away. Pidge, Keith, and Lance were running towards him. Behind them, a bit further down the hall, were Coran and Hunk.

\--------------

“Shiro!” Pidge was concerned when they saw Shiro. He looked panicked like he was going to break at any moment. They reached out and placed their hand on Shiro’s arm. “Are you okay?”

“Sendak...I kept hearing his voice. I had to get away from there.” He didn’t expand on that, just leaned against the wall next to him.

“Hey, it’s okay. It’s just the Castle. Strange things have been happening lately.” Keith was in front of him, kneeling down so he was eye level with Shiro. “Let’s get you something to drink, then we can help Coran clear the systems of the infection Sendak’s crystal left.”

Keith had barely helped Shiro to his feet when the alarms started going off. A screen dropped down from the ceiling, showing a symbol Shiro didn’t recognize. Coran read the monitor before gasping.

“This can’t be. The Castle has left the Balmera’s atmosphere and it’s beginning a wormhole jump. We need to get to the bridge.” Keith gripped onto Shiro as they all raced back through the halls until they reached the bridge. Shiro regained his breath before they entered the chamber. The sight made Keith and Coran gasp.

Allura stood in between the control consoles that piloted the Castle.

“Allura, what’s going on?” Shiro asked, walking in slowly. Allura turned to him with a bright smile.

“We’re going to Altea. We’re going home. My father is taking us.” Keith thought her voice sounded off. Like she wasn’t herself. Something was wrong. He stepped closer to her.

“Allura, Altea is gone. We can’t go back.” Keith wanted to. He wanted to believe it was possible to see the planet he had called home for over a decaphoeb. It wasn’t. He’d seen the remains of the planet and there was almost nothing left to even look at. Keith was tossed back as he reached for Allura.

_“Stay away from my daughter!”_ King Alfor’s voice boomed around Keith. The man’s face took over the viewing screens and a force field was erected around Allura. At that moment, he wasn’t sure if he was more afraid of the AI or his own father. Had the infection reached King Alfor’s memory core? Did he do something to Allura?

Lance stood up and placed his hand on the force field. Keith tried to speak up, to stop Lance from getting himself hurt, but no words came out.

“Allura, listen to me. Keith is right. We aren’t headed back to Altea. You told us yourself it was destroyed.” Lance sounded so much like Lancel. Maybe he could talk Allura out of whatever she was doing. King Alfor didn’t push him back.

“We’re headed straight for an exploding star. We’ll all be killed.” Coran called from the other side of the bridge where he and Pidge were tracking their trajectory. Keith forced himself to stand up and went back to the forcefield.

“Allura, you know more than anyone how much I wish we could go back. My time on Altea held the best memories of my life. But Altea is gone. We’d be going back to nothing more than debris.” Keith pleaded, standing next to Lance.

_“You have no idea what you’re talking about, filthy Galra. Get away from my precious child.”_ Keith saw Lance flinch. He frowned and turned his attention to the image of the former King.

“Why so you can kill us all? You tried to kill me once when the war started and you failed then. I’m not giving up until I get through to Allura. You won’t succeed.” Keith seethed.

_“Just like your father. Stubborn to the very end. No wonder Zarkon saved you. You’re working with him, aren’t you? Spying on us for your father?”_ It was Lance’s turn to clench his fist as his fury burned.

“Keith is nothing like Zarkon. If you were truly King Alfor, the king I pledged my loyalty to, you’d remember how much Keith hated his father. He would never help him.” It was Coran who came to Keith’s defense.

The forcefield dropped from around Allura. She turned to look back at Keith and Lance with tears in her eyes. The image of King Alfor disappeared.

“You need to destroy my father’s memory core.” Her voice was back to normal albeit sad. Keith didn’t hesitate to run out of the chamber. Lance and Shiro were behind him.

“We need to get down to the holodeck. It’s where Alfor’s memory core is stored.” Keith led the way. He refused to think about what he was doing. There was a part of him that was still angry at King Alfor for trying to kill him but he had understood. He had understood how Alfor felt when he saw his son dead in the healing pod because Keith had felt like his heart had been ripped out that day. The longer he had lived with the knowledge of what Alfor did to him, how he had tried to kill him in his grief, made Keith angry. Angry and grieving. For ten thousand decaphoebs Keith held onto those two emotions. Now that it mattered, he was going to channel them and help his new friends.

He turned the last corner before the holodeck only to stop in his tracks. Lance and Shiro nearly ran into his back from his abrupt stop. Keith’s hands started shaking, his bayard in his hand showing the truth to the man in front of him. Honestly, Keith could handle facing Alfor. Sendak was different.

“Shiro, Keith, go. I’ll hold off Sendak.” Lance ordered as he noticed what had stopped them. Shiro had frozen next to him, his face pale. Lance seemed like the only one not affected by the commander. Keith refused to take his eyes off of Sendak. He wasn’t about to leave Lance to face someone he stood no chance against.

“How did you even get out of that pod?” His voice didn’t shake like he thought it would. Keith thought he had gotten away from that damned smirk. It used to follow him even in his dreams.

“I was graced with meeting the deceased King Alfor.” Quiznak. King Alfor’s AI must have been more corrupted than Keith thought. Sendak stepped forward, causing Lance to also step forward so he was in front of Keith. As if he could protect him.

Keith only then noticed the sword he was holding - Altean for sure it may have even been Alfor’s but Keith had only seen the King’s sword a few times so he couldn’t be certain. Sendak merely laughed as he lifted his arm and slashed at Lance. Keith pushed in front of him and blocked the strike. Well, he tried to. Sendak aimed higher than Keith thought and the edge of his blade caught Keith’s arm. He hissed as blood immediately welled up.

Sendak laughed again, taking his eyes off of the three of them. Keith heard a shot and was able to move just in time for the laser to spiral past him and hit Sendak’s chest. Keith and Shiro jumped into action immediately, both aiming to strike while he was distracted. Keith’s hit was weaker than he would have liked but it was hard enough to keep a grip on his bayard with the blood covering his arm and hand. It hurt. He’d been through worse, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. Shiro’s hit was stronger. Blood spurted from the wound, and Sendak fell to his knees. He was panting and clutching his wound. One of their attacks had pierced his heart. Probably Shiro's, Keith suspected.

\---------------

“I bet...you’ve been...dying...to do this…since the...first time...I touched...you…” Sendak struggled to speak as blood rose in his throat. Keith could tell that he wasn’t going to last long. He could barely keep himself stable on his knees.

“Actually, I never wanted to see you again. I’d rather forget everything about you.” Keith’s voice wasn’t as steady as it had been. It wasn’t because Sendak mentioned his torture and rape sessions. No. He wouldn’t let it affect him. He couldn't grow if he didn't get past the trauma that held him down.

\-----------

“Keith, we have to hurry. We can deal with him later.” Shiro called, grabbing his uninjured arm and pulling him past Sendak. Keith stumbled along, his mind spiraling with memories he'd rather forget. There was one more shot behind them.

“I’ll get him to an airlock. I’m pretty sure there’s one near here. I’ll join you in a few minutes.” Lance called as he began dragging Sendak down the hall they had just been in.

“Take two lefts and you’ll find it!” Keith called after him, still following behind Shiro.

Sendak was heavy but Lance wasn’t going to give up until the man was off the ship. He couldn’t understand why he felt so angry at the idea of Sendak touching Keith. He had seen him touching him, abusing him, when they first met. He hadn’t been willing to admit what he thought Sendak was doing to Keith that day, but now he almost had to admit it. Even if it was just to himself.

Maybe he needed to talk to Keith about it. Keith had promised to keep him safe from Haggar but who was going to save Keith from his own nightmares?

Shoving Sendak into the airlock and opening it was almost too satisfying. He shouldn’t feel that way. Killing was wrong. Morally, Lance knew that. Emotionally, he knew that Sendak had harmed his soulmate in unmentionable ways. Lance wanted to make him pay.

Lance didn’t even bother to wait for the airlock doors to close again before he was walking back the way he came, following the trail of blood Sendak left behind. He’d have to clean that up when this was over. He reached the hall where they had fought Sendak, and there was even more blood. Drops and pools of blood led Lance to where Shiro and Keith had been going.

Keith was huddled up against the corner of the holodeck, just on the other side of the door when Lance walked in. Shiro turned from the console across the room to see his teammates. Lance was sure his clothes were covered in blood but none of that made any difference to him as he rushed to Keith’s side.

Keith was mumbling something, gripping his injured arm like his life depended on it, his eyes glazed over. As if he were stuck in a memory. Lance wouldn’t be surprised if he was. He took his jacket off and bunched it up. It was harder to pry Keith’s fingers from his arm, but Lance didn’t stop until he could press his jacket to the wound.

“Keith?” His voice was quiet, just as it had been when they were stuck on Rolo’s ship. Keith was panicking. Lance needed to be gentle. Shiro walked up behind Lance but the Blue Paladin waved him away. “Check on Allura. I’ll take care of Keith. Let Coran know we’ll need a pod when he can get one ready.”

Shiro walked away without question. He had little experience with panic attacks but Lance seemed to know exactly what to do. Lance settled down in front of Keith, making sure to keep his jacket against Keith’s wound. He needed to be patient. “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but it may help.”

Keith heard Lance but he couldn’t bring himself to answer. He wasn’t sure he could talk to anyone about what Sendak did to him, let alone Lance. He didn’t want any of them to think of him differently - he felt like he was still gaining their trust, after all - but he especially didn’t want Lance to think of him differently. They had just realized they were soulmates. Keith wanted Lance to get to know him before he dropped that bombshell. If he ever did.

“Maybe...later…” His voice shook. Lance’s reaction was to put his free hand gently on Keith’s shoulder.

“Whenever you want, I’m here. No pressure to talk about it.” Lance had plenty of secrets himself. He wouldn’t force anyone to reveal theirs.

Allura let out a relieved sigh when the Castle left out the exploding star’s gravitational pull. It would take some time for them to be certain the Castle was purged of the infection from Sendak’s crystal, especially after they had plugged Sendak’s memories into the Castle. It had been her mistake that put them in this situation.

“As soon as I get Keith into a healing pod, I’ll begin going through the systems to clean them out as much as I can.” Coran placed his hand on Allura’s shoulder. He had been the rock that grounded her and allowed her to think clearer. She owed him so much.

Allura nodded before deciding to retire to her chamber. She had to restart her grief process now that she had officially lost her father. It was a process she didn’t want the others to see.

“Thank you, Coran. And offer my thanks to Keith and Lance for their part in breaking me of my father’s influence. I’m going to rest now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed
> 
> Edited 12/15/2020 for clarity


	8. Separated

“The Emperor wishes to see you.” The woman resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she turned from her position at the viewing screen to speak to her lieutenant.

“Set a course for Central Command.” Bralae had spent the entirety of the war biding her time until her plans came to fruition. From that first moment when her father and brother were attacked after their diplomatic conference to the moment her planet had been destroyed to even now, she had been plotting. No one had expected it to last this long, Bralae certainly hadn’t. If she had, she would have adjusted her plan to stop that. To kill her father and take the throne before her father could wage war. Now she wanted his blood. She wasn’t going to be the one to kill him. One of her brothers would. Maybe they would even kill each other. That would be too lucky for Bralae. No, Bralae couldn’t think that. She may not care about Lotor, but Keith had been her only confidant. Her only friend for so long. They had talked about how upset their father made them and what they wished for the future. Even then, Bralae never told Keith about her desire for the throne. She never told him how upset she was that he served under their father directly while she was only a commander.

News spread to her fast when her brother disappeared from his prison cell. There was hope within her rebellion that they may be able to turn the tides of the war. Bralae hadn’t even thought about him for a long time. She couldn’t if she was going to keep up her appearance as loyal to her father. That didn’t mean it was fair to Keith. He was tortured daily, healed, and interrogated as if he could really tell the druids anything. The one time Bralae had been willing to risk her cover to visit him he had been too delirious to recognize her. It hurt. She understood; Sendak was a cruel man. She’d be surprised if Keith even knew where he was most of the time. Or how long it had been since he had been taken prisoner.

Looking down at the blade in her hand, Bralae regretted ever starting the war. All she had wanted was the freedom to love who she wanted without her father’s need to control her. Her brother hadn’t deserved the fate he received. If anyone did, it was her. Bralae had been the one to betray her father and tried to have him killed. She was the one who had gotten her lover killed. Keith, her beloved brother, had wanted nothing to do with the war. All he wanted was to spend his life with his beloved. Bralae had gotten greedy. It wasn’t enough to have her lover by her side. She wanted more to the point she had turned to the very people who had killed her lover’s younger brother. Those people had been wiped out in the early years of the war before they could rat her out. Now, she had no one to manipulate into doing what she wanted. Not even her own rebellion was easily manipulated. It couldn’t be if they were going to succeed.

The blade in her hand felt wrong. It didn’t belong to her - it never really had if she was being honest. Marmora hadn’t even gifted it to her upon her death. She couldn’t have. The images of Marmora’s death haunted her. Like it was connected to her blade. That was the only thing that was keeping Bralae from giving up. Her father had murdered Marmora in cold blood and broadcasted it to everyone. The death had been gruesome and bloody. It churned Bralae’s stomach. Lady Gilla had suffered just as much. A bit of poison in her drink and her throat was burned through. Then the news of Lancel’s death had pushed Bralae over the edge. Even if she couldn’t take the throne, she would make sure that her father paid for what he did. For Marmora. For Lancel. For Keith. For herself. Bralae wouldn’t stop until Emperor Zarkon was dead. In the meantime, she would continue to bide her time and play to her father’s favor.

For the next week, work on the Castle became the daily routine. Pidge and Hunk were the two who mainly helped Coran fix the Castle and purge the infection from the Galran crystal. Shiro helped when he felt up to it or needed a distraction, but for the most part, he isolated himself. Allura also isolated herself, only talking to the others to check in on their progress. Keith had thrown himself into his training, determined not to think about what had happened a week ago. Lance didn’t necessarily follow him around but he was around Keith more often than he wasn’t. Keith didn’t mind it. Lance helped him train and reminded him to eat. As the days went by, Lance spent more time with Keith until he only had his nights free of Lance’s company. He still hadn’t minded it.

A nightmare had woken Keith up and he no longer wanted to feel alone. Lancel’s death had been his most frequent nightmare to the point it was ingrained in his brain, but that night it wasn’t that nightmare that woke him up. His body felt dirty, tainted, as he tried to forget the memories of Sendak’s touch.

Without thinking, he stood up and walked out of his chamber. Lance’s chamber was right next to his. There was no hesitation when he knocked but the longer it took for Lance to answer, the more he felt bad about waking him up. It was early in the morning still and everyone would be asleep. Maybe not Pidge, who Keith had learned often pulled what Lance called ‘all-nighters’ to get work done. Keith just thought they were insomniac like he was.

The door slid open, revealing Lance in wrinkled clothes and his hair disheveled. Keith immediately felt worse about waking him up. He was being selfish. Lance needed more sleep than he did. He should have just tried to wait until morning to talk to him.

“Keith?” His voice was low and raspy, laced thick with sleep. Keith had definitely woke him up.

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have woken you up. It can wait until morning. Never mind -” He was getting ready to leave, to try and get a bit more sleep if possible, when Lance grabbed his hand. He gently pulled him inside the chamber and closed the door behind him.

“None of that. You wouldn’t have woken me up if it wasn’t important.” Lance gestured to his bed, the blankets bunched at the bottom and one pillow hanging off the bed while the other was on the floor. Keith sat down while Lance picked the pillow off the ground.

“You told me I could talk about...Sendak...and what he did to me…” Keith was nervous. His last nightmare was still fresh on his mind; he could still feel Sendak’s hand in his hair. Lance offered him a gentle smile, which Keith would have missed if he hadn’t looked up at Lance briefly to gauge his reaction.

“Of course. We can take it slow.” Lance was being patient with him, more than he thought he would be. Keith didn’t know where to even begin with his confession.

“Allura and I mentioned how Galra aim to be a pure race, correct? That’s because we hold our mates in high regard. Many would do anything for the best of their mate, even betray the Empire if it came down to it. I was the same. Lancel and I hadn’t mated but I was willing to betray my father and sister for him. Some Galra are afraid of how a mate can affect them. Or they don’t want to be tied down by one. Sendak fell into both categories. He rejected his own soulmate in order to remain loyal to the Empire.” Keith paused. Lance was listening to him quietly but intently that it almost unnerved Keith.

“My father and his witch knew I hadn’t mated with Lancel, but they kept it a secret. Sendak’s way of breaking me was to try and break the mating he thought I had.” He took a deep breath before he began explaining the things Sendak had done to break the nonexistent mating. From taking his virginity to using him for his own pleasure. It hurt to talk about, to admit aloud what he had been through. By the time he had finished, there were tears sliding down his cheeks.

Lance didn’t judge him. He looked horrified as he processed everything, but he hadn’t judged Keith. The Galra nearly jumped out of his own skin when Lance pulled him into him. His head rested on Lance’s chest; Lance’s fingers were running through his hair near the base of his neck. His other hand was firmly wrapped around Keith’s shoulders.

“It wasn’t your fault. No matter what you think, how you feel, or what Sendak told you, it’s not your fault. You’re a survivor.” Keith hadn’t mentioned anything about whose fault it was, but he felt like a weight was lifted from his shoulders at the words. How did he even know? It was like he had done this before. “It’ll take time, but you’ll get through this. I’ll help you any way I can. You won’t have to be alone.”

Pidge had found spores floating near the top of the Castle while they were working on repairs. They caught as many as they could to bring to the adviser. Surely Coran knew what they were. Of course, given that they were of unknown origin, Pidge collected them into a jar they then sealed.

Coran did not know what they were. It was something the adviser had never seen before. They were in the lab, something Pidge hadn’t known was there until Coran took them there, so they could analyze the spores without the danger of releasing anything into the Castle. What they found was impressive. It was a distress code, embedded in the spores themselves.

“There’s only one culture I know of who could do something like this. The Olkari.” Coran looked at the screen, which showed the decrypted distress signal.

“Who are the Olkari?” Pidge asked, looking at the spores curiously.

“They’re a group of incredible engineers. My grandfather went to them for help with the Castle of Lions when it was being built ten thousand and six hundred decaphoebs ago. They’re a peaceful people but their technology can make them dangerous. They built an amazing city where they create all of their inventions.” Pidge’s eyes lit up at the mention of technology and the city they built.

“Are we going to help them?” They asked excitedly. They wanted to see that technical city.

“Yes, we definitely will help them. Their genius can’t be lost.” Coran turned to walk out of the room, Pidge right behind him. They had to go through the decontamination chamber before they could go talk to Allura. Pidge didn’t mind as they thought about the technological wonders they were about to see.

“The Olkari? If they’re in danger, we need to help them.” Allura insisted, looking over the signal Coran and Pidge decoded. It was still early in the morning, and she knew that other than the three people standing on the bridge, everyone was asleep. She should have also been asleep but she couldn’t.

“We need to wake the other Paladins. Coran, prepare to head to Olkarion. I’m going to wake the Paladins.” Allura left the bridge before either Coran or Pidge could stop her.

Hunk was the first stop on her journey. He was already awake and dressed when he answered the door. He agreed to get breakfast ready for the rest of them so they could head straight down to Olkarion after she explained what was happening.

Lance was next. He didn’t open the door but she could hear the water running from inside. She decided to move onto Keith. He also didn’t open his door and she frowned. Allura didn’t remember Keith being a heavy sleeper. She decided to move onto the next chamber regardless.

Shiro was also up and ready as soon as she knocked on the door. She told him where they were going and sent him to the dining chamber to get food. Allura returned to Keith’s chamber and knocked again.

“Let him rest a bit longer, Princess. Come get food with me, and I’ll check on him when we’re done.” Shiro stated from his position down the hall. Allura sighed but agreed. She followed after Shiro while they walked down to the dining chamber together.

Lance heard the shower turn off and smiled softly. He didn’t want to admit out loud how much he enjoyed waking up next to Keith, especially since the other had held him in his arms. There was an overwhelming urge inside of him to stay like that longer.

They had to get up, though. Lance could hear Allura and Hunk talking next door. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but he sent Keith to shower first regardless. He had offered to loan Keith some of his clothes until he returned to his own room to change. Seeing Keith in his clothes took Lance’s breath away. He swallowed thickly and averted his gaze. After what Keith told him last night, he didn’t want to make him uncomfortable by staring. Even if he did look attractive.

“Thank you...for last night.” Keith sounded awkward as he shuffled over to the door, his clothes in his hands. Lance gathered his own clothes for the day, not looking at his teammate for fear of Keith seeing his blush.

“I’m here for you, Keith. Any time you need to talk or just...not be alone.” He heard the door open and shut without Keith saying a word to him. He let out a deep breath and walked into his bathroom. He started the shower and made sure to keep it cold.

A knock on his door made Keith pause as he pulled on his own pants. If he could get away with wearing Lance’s clothes all day, he would. He knew that would bring up too many questions. Without bothering to put his shirt on, Keith opened his door to see Shiro standing in front of him.

“Good, you are awake. Pidge and Coran found a distress signal from some planet called Olkarion. We’re heading there now.” Shiro wouldn’t look at him. Keith realized his scar was on full display, the first time any of his teammates had seen it. He quickly pulled his shirt on.

“I’ll be right there.” He wasn’t self-conscious. No, he had no reason to be.

“Great, uh, if you see Lance could you pass the message to him? He’s still in the shower, I guess.” Despite Keith’s wet hair, it seemed Shiro didn’t suspect anything. Keith didn’t want to explain why he had spent the night in Lance’s chamber or why he had used his shower. Instead, he nodded his agreement and closed his door again. He took his time getting ready, working to dry his hair more so the water didn’t drip onto his shirt.

Lance was walking out of his room when Keith emerged. The other offered him a bright smile as he fell into step next to the larger man. Keith quietly told him what Shiro had said, a frown now etched on his face at the idea of such brilliant engineers being in trouble. It hadn’t dawned on him earlier when he was trying to hide Lance’s clothes from Shiro’s view. Which reminded him, he forgot to give them back to Lance. Oops.

The trip to Olkarion was short. Lance and Keith barely had time to finish eating before they made it to the planet. Lancel and Allura had once told Keith about Olkarion and the Olkari. They were intelligent and resourceful. Keith had wanted to go there to get something for Lancel as part of their courtship but never made it.

As they flew down in their Lions, the city didn’t look as magnificent as Lancel had once described it. He felt ashamed. It was covered in foliage and Galra technology. His people had done this to a planet so amazing for no reason other than the desire for power. He owed it to them to help them in any way he could.

Pidge was disappointed they weren’t stopping in the city. Apparently, the distress signal came from deeper in the forest. Keith didn’t mind; he enjoyed the forest. It reminded him of his first meeting with Lancel.

Touching down, Keith felt something strange with the trees around them. It was almost as if they were alive and guiding them somewhere. To where the Olkari were waiting for them. Shiro went off on his speech, explaining who they were and why they were there. Ryner, the de facto leader of the Olkari, welcomed them before sitting down to explain why they were there.

“We, as a race, have tried to help anyone who asked us for help. The Galra Commander Branko landed in our city and demanded our King to design an unstoppable weapon. Our people fled into the forest where we have adapted our engineering to fit the nature around us. It has been nearly fifteen decaphoebs since our King has been held hostage and I fear for what the Galra has forced him to help them build.” Ryner explained how she and her people had written the distress signal in the spores and sent them out, hoping someone would find them and help.

“Your king is still in the city, then?” Shiro asked, turning to look at the tallest building of the city that peaked just through the trees. Keith felt something off about that statement. He doubted the Galra changed their ways much, even if it had been ten thousand decaphoebs since he worked with them. There was no reason for their King to be in the city but the rest of the Olkari to still be alive in the forest. Typically, the Galra either kill everyone or put them to work. This time, whoever was in charge of Olkarion had allowed the Olkari to flee and adapt while holding two of them hostage. It wasn’t right.

“That’s correct. King Lubos is a genius. I fear they are using his designs for weapons.” Ryner seemed extremely worried about that possibility. Keith could understand. His father wouldn’t have gotten far if Honerva hadn’t been there to do her research. Honerva no longer existed. He needed someone to use for his developments.

“We’ll get him back,” Keith vowed, speaking for the first time. Ryner looked happy at that and thanked them as they returned to their Lions. Regardless of the stone that sat in his gut, Keith would try to help their King.

The city felt uncomfortably empty as they traveled closer to the center. They passed over a giant cube. From what Pidge could see, the weapon was almost ready. They didn’t know what it did, but they knew it would be dangerous. The tower was where King Lubos was being held and should have been the heaviest guarded to keep the King inside. There were almost no soldiers or sentries around as they landed. Pidge went in first, followed by Keith then Hunk, Shiro, and Lance. The tower was almost too easy to infiltrate.

Shiro led the way through the floors as they tried to find where the Olkari King was being held. Keith heard crying and directed the team towards it. He should thank his race for having such impressive hearing; otherwise, they would be there for much longer looking for the King. Shiro counted down, each of them preparing their weapon before he barged into the room. The other four ran in after him. The sight they were met with was definitely not what they had expected.

“Uh...King Lubos?” Hunk asked as he lowered his cannon. The King looked away from the screen in front of him and turned to look at the Paladins. The screen was playing a drama and there were tears in the King’s eyes. His servant next to him looked scared as he looked between King Lubos and the Paladins.

“We’re here to rescue you?” Shiro’s comment came out more as a question than he had meant for it to.

“I don’t need rescuing. I’m perfectly safe here. You will be the ones who need help when the weapon activates.” The King smirked and Keith gripped his bayard tighter. He noticed Lance and Pidge did as well. When the King moved to throw his tray at them, Lance shot him. Pidge used their bayard to tie the King up. Hunk had his cannon trained on the servant.

“Wait!” The servant held his hands up. “I was forced to be here to save my people!”

Hunk lowered his weapon. He didn’t trust the servant, but he believed him. He didn’t look like he wanted to be there.

“We came here to get King Lubos. We should leave before the Galra find us. We can figure out a way to stop the Galra after we get back to the rest of the Olkari.” Shiro walked over to where the King was tied up and forced him to stand. Keith led the way out of the chamber with Shiro, Pidge, and the King right behind him. Lance and Hunk took up the rear in front of the servant.

As they tried to navigate the floorplan back to their Lions, shots fired at them. Ahead of them were sentries and a single soldier. Keith blocked as many as he could while Lance came up behind him to shoot at the sentries. Hunk also broke their formation and shot at the sentries, killing the soldier in the process.

Two more sentries came up behind them. It was the sound of lasers shooting that alerted Keith to their presence. He turned, along with the other two Paladins and King Lubos, to see the servant on the ground. Blood pooled around him quickly. He was dead before he hit the floor. Lance took the sentries out before anyone else could react.

“Hurry, get to the Lions!” Shiro ordered, pushing King Lubos a bit to get him to start running. Formation gone, all of them ran to where they had left their Lions.

Pidge was the one to fly King Lubos back to his people since it was their bayard he was tied with. They did their best to ignore as the King tried to convince them to let him go. Pidge was flying in between Keith and Lance, with Hunk slightly behind them and Shiro ahead of them. They couldn’t land fast enough. Pidge was nearly ready to toss the King from their Lion when Shiro touched down in front of Ryner.

Pidge was the last to leave their Lion, pulling King Lubos with them. Ryner gasped when she saw the way they were treating her King but paused when Shiro walked closer to her.

“Your King has been selling your people out. He willingly helped the Galra build a new weapon, and it’s almost ready,” Shiro warned.

“But why?” An Olkari behind Ryner asked, stepping forward to address their King. King Lubos didn’t reply. He didn’t even look at his people. Shiro opened his mouth to speak but was by a rumbling shook the ground and cut off anything Shiro was about to say. Everyone present turned to look towards the city in worry. The cube lifted from the ground as if it was flying closer to them.

“Ryner, get your people to safety. Paladins, get to your Lions.”

Every type of attack they used failed as the cube continued to chase Voltron all over Olkarion. The weapon learned and adapted with each attempt, even breaking apart into four cubes when Keith used his sword. Voltron split apart in an effort to draw the cubes’ fire away from the forest. Keith saw Pidge’s Lion go down but couldn’t follow, not with a cube following right behind him.

“Pidge, are you okay?” Keith got no response. They needed to figure out how to beat these things quickly, so they could check on their friend. To give Pidge time to recover, Keith steered the cube away from where the Green Lion crashed. They would seriously need to do some repairs when they returned to the Castle with how many hits Keith had taken. His Lion was fast enough to dodge them but he feared for how close they were getting to the Olkari village.

“Guys, I figured out a way to beat the cube. We need to form Voltron again!” Pidge’s voice sounded out of breath and excited. Keith was just happy to hear them again.

“Everyone back to the city. We can meet there and form Voltron.” Shiro flew back the way he had come, passing Keith in the process. Keith followed, with Pidge right next to him.

When the team formed Voltron, the cubes attacked. Pidge plugged their bayard in, revealing a giant cannon in place of Voltron’s arm. Pidge launched an attack, and while Keith couldn’t tell what it did, the cubes started growing roots from the inside out. The roots destroyed the cubes and they fell quickly to the ground with a crash.

As the team left their Lions to meet up with Ryner once again, Keith noticed King Lubos was missing. Lance and Hunk also looked around for the missing King before shrugging at Keith.

“Congratulations, Green Paladin, for discovering your connection to nature. As I said earlier, we are all nothing more than atoms connecting with each other.” Ryner congratulated Pidge as they all came to a stop in front of each other. Pidge blushed at the attention.

“That’s our Pidge. He’s amazing with technology! You should have been our engineer instead of me, Pidge.” Hunk pulled Pidge into a sideways hug, deepening Pidge’s blush.

“Uh...yeah. It wasn’t just my connection to nature and technology that I learned today, though. I need to tell you guys something, and I don’t want it to change how you look at me or anything.” Pidge started, nervously shifting their glasses as Hunk put them down.

“Go ahead, Pidge. You’re our teammate. If we don’t judge Keith for being Galra or Coran and Allura for being Altean, we won’t judge you.” Lance had a feeling he knew where this was going. He wanted Pidge to feel comfortable in their own skin, no matter how they felt.

“I’m a girl. Or at least I was born a girl. My name is Katie Holt...uh Matt Hold and Commander Holt are my brother and father. But um...I don’t really identify as either gender. I guess I’m nonbinary? I think that’s the term I want to use.” It still really confused them. Who didn’t identify as a gender? A heavy hand rested on their shoulder, bringing their attention up to Shiro. He was smiling down at them, proud of what they admitted.

“So what pronouns do you use? We’ve been referring to you as he, but which do you prefer?” Hunk asked, a confused look on his face. Pidge was grateful they had respected their identity even though Pidge hadn’t been sure how to describe it. Keith also looked confused, but he didn’t question anything.

“They/them is fine.” Pidge smiled at their teammates before turning to Ryner. “Thank you for helping me discover so much about myself.”

Ryner smiled at them. She turned her attention to the rest of them, still smiling. “Thank you all for coming to our aid. We will forever be in your debt, Voltron Paladins.”

“Paladins, we found another distress signal. Hurry back to the Castle.” Allura called over the comms. Shiro thanked her, and the rest of the Olkari, before the team left the planet. They didn’t return to the hangars in the Castle. Instead, Allura had them fly next to the Castle just in case. She opened a wormhole as soon as the Lions were close.

Haggar and Zarkon had informed her she was to bring Haggar as close as she needed to be to perform her magic. Neither offered information on what their plan was and she didn’t ask. It was better not to know. Bralae watched from her ship as the Voltron Lions left Olkarion. She felt uncomfortable as Haggar approached the center and lifted her arms. Quintessence poured from her hands in the form of purple lightning. The commander watched as it struck the wormhole in the system next to them. The Castle and Lions went through right as the quintessence hit the wormhole.

“It worked. Take me back so I may track them.” Haggar ordered, shuffling away from the center of her ship and back towards Bralae’s side. Bralae didn’t pretend she understood what Haggar and Zarkon had planned. She just hoped the rumors weren’t true, and she hadn’t just helped Haggar send her brother to who knows where.

Keith felt his lion shake as the wormhole was hit by pure quintessence. He was kicked out of the wormhole and his Lion crashed into an ocean. Looking around, he saw nothing around him. His Lion was on its side and had no power. The quintessence must have pulled his Lion’s quintessence out. He needed to let Red recharge before he even tried to get out of the water. Red was cold. Colder than he was used to, definitely. Was that because there was no power?

“Can anyone hear me?” There was no reply. He must have been incredibly far from the Castle or the other Lions if none of them were answering him. He supposed he would have to wait. Getting out of his Lion took effort. He had to force the latch in the Lion’s mouth open so he could climb out. He fought against the water pressure, as he swam out. With no power, there was no way for him to lower the ramp. He had to use the teeth and lower jaw of his Lion to climb to the ground. With no power, he would have to wait until someone found him. That didn’t mean he had to stay by this Lion. So long as he didn’t stray too far, he should be fine. Maybe there was something edible on the moon so he could keep his own strength up.

The water was freezing. He could feel it through his armor and flight suit and regretted leaving his Lion. Still, he went a bit further from his Lion than he had initially planned, but he couldn’t see much foliage around him. In the distance, he saw a hump in the ground that didn’t look like the other boulders around it. He altered his course so he could see what it was. The object was surrounded by plants and some fish, which swam away as soon as Keith approached.

The closer he got, the clearer he could see the object. Specifically, he could see the bright blue that belonged only to the Blue Lion. He sped up. Lance didn’t reply to him so he could be in trouble.

Shiro couldn’t be sure what had happened. One second he was flying through the wormhole, the next he had landed on a dead moon. Near his Lion, he could see the Green Lion also laying down on the surface. Shiro forced his way out of the Black Lion and ran over to Pidge.

The latch of the Green Lion burst open and Pidge crawled out. They looked like they had been tossed all over the cockpit with how many scuff marks were on their armor. “I hate surprises. This is too much of a surprise after everything that’s happened to us. What even happened?”

Shiro stopped himself from laughing as he helped Pidge stand up. This was a serious matter and no amount of jokes would make it easier on them. “We’ll have to figure out where we are and how to get back to the Castle. Any ideas?”

Pidge looked around at the absolute nothing around them and sighed. There was nothing they could use to amplify their signal. They were stuck. Why couldn’t they have gotten stuck somewhere that wasn’t deserted? “We just have to wait.”

Luckily, they still had enough power in their Lions to move them closer so they could keep an eye on each other and their Lions.

Hunk had started building a satellite to amplify the Yellow Lion’s weak signal. He could use Pidge’s help. Pidge usually had better ideas than him and could have put all these broken parts together faster than he could. When he couldn’t reach anyone, he knew he needed to boost his signal. It took him a while to figure out how to build the satellite, especially since all of the parts were broken or degraded. It had to work. He needed this to work; his friends were counting on him.

At first, he just put things together, hoping they would work the way he wanted, but the longer it took, the more frustrated he got. There was too much pressure to not succeed and it made him want to puke. He couldn’t. He didn’t even know if he could breathe in the belt he had landed in. Sure the trash had formed its own gravitational pull, but that didn’t mean it was similar enough to a planet for him to breathe comfortably. He really didn’t want to smell his own bile until he was rescued. Who knew how long that would be at the rate his building was going.

The Blue Lion still had energy. Keith was surprised but he was thankful. It meant they could either bring The Blue Lion to where Keith had left the Red Lion or they could try to call for help. Maybe both. First, he had to check on Lance. Opening the latch from the outside was even more difficult than it was to open it from inside of Red. The water had built pressure against the latch so it took all of Keith’s strength to pull it open. He slipped inside when the latch was open far enough so he could keep the water out of the Lion as best he could.

“Lance?” Keith called, slowly making his way up to the cockpit. He tried to stop the growl that pushed past his lips when he saw Lance on the floor next to his pilot’s seat, his helmet off and under the console, and Lance unconscious. Instead, he rushed over to his teammate and did his best to check him over for injuries.

“Wake up, Lance.” Fear swelled like a bubble in his chest. He gently slapped Lance’s cheek in an effort to stimulate him awake. He needed the Blue Paladin if they were going to figure out how to get out of there.

“Keith?” Lance’s voice was faint and unsteady. His eyes fluttered open gently; Keith smiled, relieved. That bubble of fear burst only to be replaced with the urge to kiss Lance. He seemed so much like Lancel, right down to how his voice sounded as he woke up. He shook himself of the urge, reminding his brain that they were teammates, friends, and even though they shared a soul mark, he didn’t have the right to kiss Lance whenever he wanted.

“Hey, you’re awake.” Keith couldn’t think of more to say than that. He had spent so much time around Lance in the last movement, but they hadn’t really talked much except for the previous night. He still couldn’t explain why he had gone to Lance rather than Allura or Coran. He knew them longer but Lance...Lance felt safe. Comfortable. Lance didn’t judge him or treat him any differently. Allura probably would have pitied him and Coran...he nearly shuddered at the thought.

“Where is everyone else? Where are we?” Lance took his time sitting up but he could tell they were not in space still. Was this where Allura was taking them? If so, where in the universe were they?

“We’re stranded. Something hit the wormhole right as we entered. I can’t get a hold of anyone and my Lion is out of energy. I’m surprised Blue still has energy to keep the systems running.” It was significantly warmer in the cockpit than it was out in the water, or even in Red. If Keith hadn’t known any better, he would have sworn he would have frozen in Red’s cockpit.

“Where is the Red Lion? I can’t see her.” Lance looked over the viewing screen that showed them their surroundings. The Red Lion was definitely not close. Keith helped Lance back into the pilot’s seat and stood behind him.

“I left her a little ways away. Her barrier should have gone up once I left but honestly since she’s out of energy it may not have.” Keith hadn’t bothered to check. He regretted that decision now, as Lance searched for her.

“Let’s go check up on her. I don’t feel comfortable leaving her alone.” Keith guided Lance back to where he was sure he had left Red, regret settling in his gut at the thought that something could happen to his Lion. It took them a few dobashes before they could see the red particle barrier that covered red shining like a beacon through the water. Blue picked up the pace, going nearly as fast as Red once Lance landed eyes on the other Lion.

Lance stopped next to Red, landing near her head. There still were no signs of life around them, or even an ounce of energy coming from Red. Keith worried. Would they be found at the bottom of an ocean on a planet he couldn’t even recall the name of?

“Relax. I’m sure Hunk or Pidge or Coran are working on a way to find us as we wait. Just, stay here where it’s warm. We’ll get through this.” Lance gripped Keith’s hand tightly. Keith hadn’t even noticed him reaching for his hand but he didn’t pull away. The comfort of his soulmate’s touch eased his worries, even if it was just slightly.

“You’re right.” They would be found. He had to believe that.

The ex-soldier listened to the transmission again, for what was probably the sixth or seventh time since he received it. He had already loaded a pod and prepared for the journey but he wanted to know how the information came to be known. He trusted his companions. He believed in their judgment and abilities. He just didn’t know what to make of the newest bit of information discovered.

They were close to his location. It made sense for him to make contact with them rather than sending someone else. That didn’t stop his worry.

Night fell quickly, only determined by the change of visibility in the water. Keith was tired but couldn’t bring himself to succumb to sleep. Earlier, he had checked on Red only to be met with silence. Red still didn’t have energy. He returned to Blue and joined Lance on the floor facing the door to the cockpit.

Lance had fallen asleep nearly a varga ago. His head had dropped onto Keith’s shoulder, still without his helmet, and soft snores escaped his slightly parted lips. It was cute. Keith could admit that. He found Lance to be adorable, sweet, and caring. So much like Lancel that he almost forgot they were different people.

There was a part of Keith who wanted to ask about Lance’s dreams. To see how much Lance remembered about his past life. That part was largely overshadowed by his desire to protect him. If remembering about his life as Lancel put him in danger, Keith would never forgive himself.

A bright light made Keith sit up straighter. Lance’s head fell from his shoulder and dropped to his lap, Lance’s body following the motion. Keith strained his neck to look behind him out the viewing screen. The light cut through the darkness of the water, but that was all Keith could decipher.

“Lance...wake up. Someone’s here.” He nudged Lance until the other Paladin groaned. Keith didn’t care that Lance had only just gotten to sleep. If they needed to defend themselves or the Lions, Lance was the only one who could pilot Blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Let me know your thoughts or if you have any questions about the concept. I'll answer as I can :)
> 
> Edited 12/15/2020 for clarity


	9. Blade of Marmora

_“May I kiss you now?” Keith asked, rubbing his thumb slowly over Lancel’s cheek. The Altean Prince nodded and leaned down to meet Keith’s lips. The kiss was soft and slow and messy, Keith doing his best to keep his teeth away from Lancel’s lips while Lancel tried to push his emotions into the kiss. He wanted Keith to know that he genuinely was attracted to him. Lancel’s arms wrapped around Keith’s neck, pulling him closer, as Keith steadied himself with his free hand against the bed._

_Lancel pulled away first when he started running out of breath. His lips were bruised a deep red, his face flush with heat, and his shoulders shook as he tried to get air inside his lungs. Keith wasn’t much better as he also breathed deeply to regain air. His lips and cheeks were a deep violet, the same violet that Lancel had admired a phoeb ago. Both were silent as they stared at each other, still as close as they had gotten during the kiss._

Someone nudged him out of his sleep, interrupting his dream and making him groan in displeasure. He opened his eyes to the cockpit of Blue lit up. His head was resting on someone’s lap and the floor reflected water. As if he were at an aquarium. Their situation came back to him; he sat up abruptly. Keith looked at him curiously before shifting so he could look at the viewing screen behind them.

“What’s going on?” He asked, turning his gaze to the viewing screen as well. He could see the bright lights shining on his and Keith’s Lions. More importantly, he could see why Keith woke him up. He automatically moved so that he was sitting in his pilot’s seat just as a secured comm channel invitation popped up on the screen.

“Should we answer?” He asked, looking down at Keith, who hadn’t moved an inch. Keith finally looked over at him with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

“We won’t know if they’re an enemy or an ally if we don’t.” Lance hesitated for a moment before reaching down for his helmet. Once he had it on, he accepted the comm channel. On the other side of the channel was a Galra in a black suit. Lance had never seen him before. That wasn’t really saying a lot since he hadn’t seen many Galra.

_“Greetings, Paladin of Voltron. I am Ulaz of the Blade. I’ve come to give you aid.”_ Blade? That as the organization Allura said she would look into. Keith grabbed Lance’s attention and nodded at him as if letting him know he could trust the man. Still, he wanted to be sure.

“How do I know I can trust you?” Lance returned his gaze to Ulaz.

_“If I had wanted to harm you, I would have attacked outright rather than initiate conversation.”_ Another glance at Keith told Lance he believed the man. Keith crawled out from his spot and around Lance’s chair.

“Good enough for us.” Ulaz looked confused until he saw Keith stand up behind Lance’s seat. He seemed to recognize Keith, which only slightly surprised him. Just how many soldiers knew what he looked like? Keith definitely hadn’t met Ulaz before.

_“You must be Prince Keith. Krolia has told me about you.”_ Ulaz greeted as he realized who Keith was.

“Krolia told me nothing of you...or your organization. What exactly is the Blade?” Keith asked, leaning slightly over Lance’s shoulder as he spoke.

_“We are a faction against Zarkon. Our goal is to put an end to Zarkon and the war.”_ Keith hid his frown. That barely told him anything but he supposed it was dangerous to talk about it over a comm channel _. “Allow me to help you off this planet. We can speak more in person.”_

“The Red Lion doesn’t have the power to move. I won’t leave it here.” Keith’s eyes narrowed. He refused to leave his Lion no matter what it would take for him to get her out of the water.

_“I think between the Blue Lion and my pod we can tow the Red Lion to my ship. We can speak more there.”_ Ulaz didn’t want to say too much over the comms. Keith could respect that. He agreed, if only to get his Lion somewhere he can reenergize.

“We’ll need a rope or something to pull the Red Lion.” Lance didn’t remember ever seeing rope or anything similar in his Lion.

_“I can provide that. We should hurry. This planet gets colder as the night continues.”_ Ulaz seemed to have come prepared. Keith could respect that. The comm cut out and Keith put his hand on Lance’s shoulder to keep him from standing up.

“Stay in here. Be ready to leave if anything seems off.” Keith turned to pick up his helmet. Lance grabbed his hand, stopping him.

“I won’t leave you. If you feel something is off about him, get back in your Lion and I’ll blast him right out of the water. We’ll get out of this together.” He stood up and placed his other hand on Keith’s cheek. “You’re my soulmate. I’ll be by your side no matter what.”

“Lance...I don’t want to leave you, but if it comes down to it, I want you safe. If the Red Lion and I get taken we can find a way out. You said it yourself, I’m a survivor. I’ll be fine.” Keith reached up and placed his hand on top of Lance’s.

“I’m not leaving you, Keith. We’ll get out of this together, even if it means we don’t use his help. Now get out there and tow up your Lion. We’re getting off this planet one way or another.” Lance hesitated before he let Keith go. He watched as the Red Paladin put his helmet on.

“I’ll see you soon.” Hopefully. He didn’t say it, but they were both thinking it. Keith left before he could do something he would regret.

He met Ulaz outside of the Blue Lion and immediately went over to the Red Lion. Together they tied the towing cable around the midsection of the Lion. They tied the other end around the Blue Lion. Keith had insisted Blue would be strong enough to tow Red.

Ulaz went back to his pod and Keith returned to Red. There was more of a reaction when he entered the cockpit than there had been the last time he tried. The lights flickered on and Red seemed to have regained energy.

_“You ready, Keith? Ulaz is going to guide us out.”_ At least Keith could hear Lance through the comms this time.

“Ready when you are.” Lance was doing the heavy lifting Keith was just along for the ride.

It took some time and effort, mostly exerted by Lance and the Blue Lion, but they made it to Ulaz’s ship. The ship was at the edge of the system they were in, with the planet they had been stuck on at the other side. During the ride, Red had regained some of her energy but not enough to fly without help. He could only hope that his Lion recovered her quintessence quickly. He and Lance stored their Lions in the bay before meeting Ulaz on the bridge of his ship.

“The Blade of Marmora have been searching for your friends in the surrounding galaxies. Right now, it’s a race to find them before Haggar does.” Keith nearly shuddered at the mention of the witch’s name but stopped himself. If Ulaz noticed it, he didn’t make any indications. A star map was pulled up to show the weak signals of the Castle and the Yellow Lion. “Krolia has tracked the Castle of Lions and the Yellow Lion two galaxies over near a junk belt. We’re still looking for the Green and Black Lions.”

“How did you find us?” Lance asked, looking from the star mask to Ulaz. Ulaz was slowly gaining Keith’s trust but he wouldn’t stop being suspicious until he learned more about the Blade of Marmora as an organization.

“One of our members has infiltrated Zarkon’s ship as a commander and he has been very diligent about gathering as much information as he can about Zarkon’s plans. He was able to send a transmission to our leader with your location. I didn’t know who you were until I saw the Lions.” Keith had too many questions. He wasn’t going to ask them yet but he wanted to get answers before they parted.

“Now that I’ve met you, the last bit of that transmission makes sense.” Ulaz was talking to himself more than the two Paladins next to him but it caught their attention. Both looked at him expectantly. He sighed, reprimanding himself internally for even mentioning the transmission. “At the end of the transmission, Kolivan insisted on reminding me how important it is that I get to you before Zarkon did. I thought he was just worried about keeping the Lions from the Galra but he was worried about you, Red Paladin.”

Ulaz had heard the rumors about the prisoner Zarkon kept hidden from anyone else. The rumors mentioned that he was a prince as well. At first, Ulaz had thought it could be the former prince of Altea since the emperor had been obsessed over the planet since the war began. Krolia had been the one to correct him, and every member of the Blades, about the identity of the mysterious prisoner. The scar on Keith’s face proved to Ulaz how desperate the need to keep him from Zarkon’s hands.

“I assume that means Zarkon is looking for me,” Keith stated rather than questioned. He had already figured his father would be looking for him. He was a danger to the Paladins the longer he was near them. Looking over at Lance, he knew he would never be able to leave them even if it was for their safety. He had meant what he told Lance in the water. Keith didn’t want to leave Lance. He doubted Lance would let him leave even if he wanted to.

“And every commander under his orders,” Ulaz confirmed with a nod of his head. Lance’s eyes narrowed.

“We aren’t going to let Keith fall back into Zarkon’s hands. We’ll keep him safe no matter what we have to do.” The conviction in Lance’s voice shocked Keith as much as it made him feel safe. He knew deep down that Lance wouldn’t let him get taken again. He’d heard most of what Zarkon, Sendak, and Haggar had done to him. Lance wasn’t the type to let his friends go through something like that again.

“We should head to your Castle. We may be able to get an idea where your other friends are on the way.” Ulaz set the coordinates into the system and turned to the two Paladins. “It’s late and I’m sure I woke you up. I’ll show you to chambers you can use to get some sleep. It’ll take at least a few vargas at least to reach your Castle.”

Hunk had succeeded in building the satellite and boosting the signal of his Lion. The Castle found him within seconds. As soon as he docked his Lion in the hangar, his Lion started recharging. He met Coran and Allura on the bridge, letting out a sigh of relief alongside Allura when he saw them.

“Any clue as to where the others are?” There was no time to stop and rest. He needed to find his friends before anything could happen to them.

“Not yet. Your signal was the only one we could locate. Coran had the thought to use the Yellow Lion’s signal as a base to find the other four Lions but it’ll have to wait until the Lion regains its energy.” Hunk sighed but didn’t argue. There was nothing he could do but wait. It was a horrible feeling.

_Lancel guided Keith back to his quarters silently. Lancel knew that he needed to talk to Keith, to tell him how he felt, but he found himself nervous in a way he had never been before. He hoped that Keith’s outburst earlier in the evening was an indication that he felt at least somewhat similar to what Lancel felt for him._

_“I apologize for earlier, Keith. I didn’t intend to upset you, nor am I trying to play any sort of game with you...or your feelings.” Lancel started as they came to a stop in front of Keith’s door. “I...quiznack this isn’t supposed to be this hard. I don’t even know how to begin…”_

_Keith moved past Lancel and opened the door to his quarters. He walked inside before turning to Lancel and inviting him in. “Maybe we should start with privacy. Anyone could easily overhear us out here but not as easily in here.”_

_Lancel walked in and took a seat on the bed. He still didn’t know how he was going to tell Keith his feelings but privacy was a good start. The door closed and Keith leaned against it facing Lancel. Lancel still hadn’t started speaking and it looked like he was trying to get his thoughts together._

_“You asked me to stay.” Keith started, coaxing Lancel into speaking._

_“I want to know you. I want to be around you...when I saw you that first time I saw how beautiful you looked with the flowers around you and the sun shining down on you and I knew that I wanted to be with you. Seeing how entranced you were in the forest made my heart stutter and I had the urge to just hold you close. I hated watching you leave and I had hoped you would come back to me. The moment you left your ship today I wanted to kiss you. You smiled. You smiled when you saw me and I decided I needed to keep that smile on your face for as long as I could. I...I’m falling in love with you and I can’t even stop myself from falling quickly.” Lancel still hadn’t looked up at Keith, but maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing._

_“Then, why? Why did you pull back so often?” Keith took a few steps closer before stopping himself. “I have never felt this way around anyone before. No one has ever flirted with me let alone shown an interest in me like you did. And just when I thought you returned my feelings, whatever they may be, you pull away from me. In the observation room, you held me close but pushed me away before I could even kiss you or do anything. So, why?”_

Confusion laced Lance’s mind when he woke up. He wasn’t in his room at home nor was he in his room at the Castle. In fact, he didn’t recognize where he was. He remembered being in the ocean with Keith and the Lions. And then...they had been saved? They were on Ulaz’s ship, right? Lance had been exhausted as they towed the Red Lion out of the ocean and to the Galra’s ship. Adrenaline had coursed through him the previous night, but now it was all a blur. Maybe Keith could help him remember. Speaking of Keith, Lance remembered their talk in the Blue Lion. He didn’t want to think about the idea of Keith sacrificing himself for Lance or any of them for that matter.

A knock on his door distracted Lance from that train of thought and he bit back a groan as he stood from his bed. He stretched, releasing the tension and stiffness in his muscles from sleeping in his armor. He hadn’t regretted anything more than he regretted sleeping in his armor. Slowly he made his way across the room as a second knock sounded.

“Lance?” Keith’s voice made him smile. He opened the door with a goofy smile on his face. Keith looked at him curiously. “Uh...we’re almost to the Castle. Ulaz wants us to fly over in our Lions and try to convince Allura to let him board.”

Lance still didn’t trust Ulaz but he could at least agree to try and convince Allura to let him speak to them. Lance turned around to grab his helmet before leaving the room altogether. He was excited to return to the Castle. It felt like home. A home away from home. The thought was almost depressing. Cuba was his home. He missed his family and his town but he found that he missed the Castle just as much now that he wasn’t there. “Let’s go then.”

Keith noticed something was off with Lance but now wasn’t the time to ask him. He wanted to get back to the Castle, to Allura and Coran, back to safety. The Castle was safe for him, even before the war began. Being in the Castle meant he wasn’t near his father and now that mattered more to him than ever before.

Keith followed Lance down to the bay where their Lions were. He hoped the Red Lion had regained enough quintessence to get him to the Castle. He really didn’t want to leave the Red Lion on the ship and he wasn’t sure if Lance would be willing to tow him a second time. Ulaz hadn’t done anything with their Lions while they slept nor had he taken them anywhere but to the Castle of Lions just like he said he would.

Both Lions had their particle barriers up when they walked in, which was an improvement for the Red Lion since it wasn’t up when he had left the previous night. The barriers lowered as the Paladins walked closer and Keith could feel Red’s presence in the back of his mind as the ramp from her mouth lowered. Keith smiled slightly as he walked up the ramp and felt Red come to life around him.

The soft glow of the lights comforted him as he sat in his pilot’s seat. He had spent nearly an entire quintant in the Blue Lion while his own Lion was out of commission. The Blue Lion felt familiar and safe much like the Castle did, but Red felt comfortable. Like home. If Keith even had a home anymore. He couldn’t think about that.

The bay door opened slowly. Keith took a deep breath and allowed his gaze to trail to the Blue Lion. Blue seemed ready to go, just as much as he and Red were. Lance no doubt also wanted to get back to the Castle. Red led the way out of the bay, turning his comms on again in an attempt to reach Allura or Coran. Lance was right behind him as they left Ulaz’s ship.

Alarms blared to life almost as soon as Hunk walked onto the bridge. Coran and Allura were both searching the screens for whatever was setting them off. Hunk walked over to his own console to see if he could find anything. Allura gasped before he could even begin searching.

“I can’t believe this. The Blue and Red Lions are flying directly towards us. Somehow they found us before we could find their signals.” She pulled the screen up so he and Coran could also see the two Lions flying towards him. Hunk immediately tried to reach out to them via the comms.

“Keith, Lance, can you hear me?” He asked, looking between the large viewing screen and his own screen. He waited with bated breath for a response.

“Hunk, it’s good to hear your voice, buddy.” His smile nearly split his face when he heard Lance’s voice ring throughout the bridge.

“You too, buddy. We’re on the bridge when you arrive.” Hunk replied. Lance and Keith landed in their respective hangars a few minutes after they were first spotted. Allura, Coran, and Hunk were waiting for them when they arrived on the bridge. Allura felt herself relax some when she saw the two of them safe and uninjured.

“It’s good to see you both. I have to ask how did you find us?” Allura was the first to speak. Coran and Hunk looked at Allura before looking back at the two Paladins. Keith stepped forward first.

“That’s the strange thing. We were found by a Blade member and he helped us get here. He helped get the Red Lion off of the water planet we were trapped on. Apparently, Haggar is tracking us.” Keith explained hurriedly. Lance remained silent as they waited for Allura’s reaction.

“The Blade of Marmora? Did he explain anything about what they are trying to accomplish?” Allura seemed eager for the answer as she hadn’t taken her eyes off Keith. Keith told her everything Ulaz had told him about the Blades’ goal. She looked down thoughtfully as she tried to make sense of the information.

“Ulaz wants to come aboard the Castle and talk to us as a group. He may be able to help us find Pidge and Shiro but we won’t know until we talk to him.” Lance spoke up for the first time, the words felt like a stone settling at the bottom of his stomach.

“No. We can’t allow someone we know nothing about to board.” Allura insisted without hesitation. Lance didn’t look up at her but flinched at her tone.

“Allura, if he can help us find our friends, we should give it more thought. We don’t have to trust him but we have no idea where Shiro and Pidge are. He may have an idea.” Hunk argued, turning to Allura. He wasn’t angry. He just didn’t feel comfortable with ignoring the genuine possibility that they could find their friends quicker if they took the help of the Blades.

“We don’t know anything about him, Hunk. He could be tricking us.” Allura argued, turning to look at her console.

“We know he’s a member of the Blades. They helped Lance and I get off of Sendak’s ship. How much do the Blade of Marmora have to do before we trust them enough to take their help?” Keith walked around to the front of Allura’s console so she would have to look at him. “I’m not saying there’s a risk in bringing him on but he could have betrayed Lance and me before and he didn’t. He could have attacked us while we were underwater or he could have taken us to a Galra commander. Instead, he brought us back here.”

Allura finally looked up at him and sighed. “Did he say he knew where Shiro and Pidge are or are you just guessing he would know?”

“I’ve already said Zarkon’s witch is looking for us. Apparently, they have a spy on Zarkon’s ship who sent them to Ulaz. We’re already being tracked so why not trust the Blades?”

“If we’re being tracked, we need to leave.” Allura was alarmed now and she stepped away from her console to go to the controls of the Castle.

“Allura, we don’t even know how they’re tracking us. Ulaz may be able to help us with that. Just hear him out. We can always put him in a cell if you don’t think he’s being honest.” Keith followed after her. Allura sighed before pulling her hands from the controls.

“Fine. Invite him in. I will be throwing him in a cell if he gives me a reason.” Keith wasn’t exactly thrilled with the decision, and he doubted Ulaz would be either, but at least he had managed to convince Allura to hear him out. Keith was taking a chance on whatever information Ulaz could give them.

Keith tuned into the comm channel Ulaz had used to contact him and Lance the first time, just as the Galra had instructed him. They only had to wait for a few dobashes before Ulaz’s ship was near enough for Ulaz to travel over on his pod. They met him down in the pod bay, though only Coran and Keith seemed interested in his arrival. Keith could tell that Lance and Hunk were nervous, even though Lance had already met Ulaz before. It wasn’t surprising he didn’t trust him yet. At least he was willing to try and give him another chance.

Keith welcomed Ulaz before Allura cut in. She insisted they talk on the bridge, where there were fewer places for Ulaz to escape. Keith only shook his head at Ulaz’s curious glance. Being on the bridge would make it easier to talk to him, regardless of Allura’s suspicions.

“While I waited for your transmission, I received the coordinates to where the last two Lions are. There is already someone heading there to help them.” Ulaz wasted no time in getting down to business. He already had Allura’s attention, even if she wasn’t looking at her.

“I would like to make sure my Paladins are alright if you don’t mind.” Ulaz had no reason to deny her. He couldn’t deny her if he wanted to gain their trust. Instead, he agreed. He gave them the coordinates, hoping they didn’t ask for the transmission itself since he had already disposed of it. It wasn’t like they would be able to decipher the message, anyway, since none of them knew the Blades’ code.

Shiro didn’t recognize the ship that landed on the moon. He and Pidge had kept close together as best they could while they waited for any word from the Castle or another Paladin. He had been sitting in the cockpit of the Black Lion to fight the cold of the night. At least he assumed it was night. It hadn’t been light when they arrived but at least it had been warmer. The Black Lion was his only method of keeping warm. He squinted as if that would help him see through the dark, in an effort to get a better look at whoever was. All he saw was a tall, lean figure walk out of the ship.

“I haven’t told anyone in my family yet. I don’t even know how to explain it, let alone explain it to the people who raised me. What if I disappoint them? What if they hate me? Will they disown me? What if-” Pidge and Shiro had started talking to each other over the comms as the day dragged on. The conversation had turned to Pidge’s insecurities, which Shiro had been trying to help them through before he spotted the ship.

“Shiro?” Pidge’s voice called over the comms reminded him that he was supposed to be listening. He kept his eyes on the figure as they walked towards his Lion.

“Pidge, do you see that?” Maybe he was just slightly deranged. It’d been almost a day since he had any sort of water or food. Surely he was bound to be delusional. He almost hoped that was the case.

“Who is that? Can you see?” Nope, he wasn’t delusional. If Pidge also saw the person, then they were definitely real. Now he had to determine if they were friend or foe. The closer the person got, the better Shiro could make out their features. In the glow of the Lions’ lights, he saw the purple skin and pointed ears that were common with the Galra.

“It almost looks like a Galra.” Pidge’s Lion was facing his but the person was closer to him than Pidge. He hummed in a debate over what to do.

“I’m going to go down and see who they are. Pidge, stay in your Lion, and be ready for anything.” Shiro left his Lion but didn’t move further than the ramp. It meant the particle barrier would remain down but he would also be able to return to his Lion should things go south. The other person - a woman now that Shiro could see her better - stopped as soon as she saw Shiro. Shiro readied the weapon that was his prosthetic just in case.

“I come in peace on behalf of the Blade of Marmora. My name is Krolia.” Shiro remembered that name. He lowered his hand but didn’t completely let down his guard. As he thought back, he realized where he had heard her name before.

“You’re the one who helped Keith and Lance off of Sendak’s ship.” He remembered Keith explaining how kind she had been to him while he was in captivity. He wanted to believe that he could trust her. She did say she was part of the Blade of Marmora, which were supposed to be a rebellion group against Zarkon.

“If this Lance is the Blue Paladin then yes, I did.” She still hadn’t moved and her hands were out so Shiro could see she was unarmed. At least, her hands were. He could see the handle of a blade at her hip. She hadn’t reached for it to attack, nor had it been in her hand when she walked up, so Shiro was going to assume she wasn’t going to use it.

“How did you find us?” There were two burning questions on Shiro’s mind but that had been the most important of the two.

“We have a spy on Zarkon’s ship. He gave us coordinates.” Shiro’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“We as in the Blade of Marmora or we as in you have a partner?” How many potential enemies was he dealing with?

“Specific members of the Blades. We were tasked with making sure you returned to your Castle before Zarkon found you. From what I heard the other Paladins have already returned to your Castle. One of our members is with them as we speak.” Before Shiro could reply another ship entered the moon’s atmosphere. Shiro’s lips tilted to a grin as he realized it was the Castle of Lions. Maybe the Blade of Marmora were on their side.

Pidge left their Lion as the Castle landed. Krolia had turned to watch the landing, a frown on her face. Something about her expression didn’t settle with Shiro but he was happy to see the Castle. Lance, Hunk, and Keith all but ran off the ship to greet them.

“Shiro! Pidge! You’re okay!” Shiro could only assume that Hunk was crying as soon as he saw them. Lance was right behind Hunk as the big man pulled Pidge into a bone-crushing hug. Keith stopped short when he saw Krolia standing next to Shiro. Krolia was smiling at him with an emotion Shiro wasn’t sure he could place. It looked like pride and admiration but he wasn’t sure. He supposed it didn’t matter. Keith trusted her if the look on his face was any indication. There was a soft smile on his lips and tears building up in his eyes.

“Prince Keith. I’m glad to see you’re doing alright.” She sounded so much like a mother to Shiro. She couldn’t have been Keith’s mother, right? He had never mentioned his mother, especially not if she was still alive. Keith didn’t reply but Shiro could tell he was glad to see her. Krolia shifted so she could see both Shiro and the fourth person who had followed Keith out of the Castle that Shiro hadn’t noticed earlier.

“While this is a touching reunion, we should get your Lions on the Castle and leave before Zarkon sends someone here.” Shiro agreed with Krolia. There would be time to catch up as soon as they were back in the Castle. Shiro and Pidge returned to their Lions while Keith, Hunk, and Lance led Ulaz back in. Krolia returned to her pod and followed the directions given to her by Shiro to land her pod in the pod bay.

Shiro met everyone on the bridge. Allura looked conflicted. She had been happy to see Shiro and Pidge safe but the small smile she had offered them fell when she saw the Blade of Marmora members enter the chamber after Keith. She held her tongue. Shiro could see that she wasn’t happy about them being there.

“Allura, Coran, this is Krolia. Krolia, this is Princess Allura of Altea and her adviser Coran.” Shiro was the one to introduce everyone, starting with the Alteans. He then introduced the Paladins, except Keith who both Galra knew already. Or at least, who had already met him.

“Getting down to business,” Allura started drawing the attention to her. Her expression had smoothed out and she looked like the diplomat Keith had referred to her as. “What exactly do the Blade of Marmora want with us?”

Allura was still suspicious. As hard as she tried to keep her prejudices at a minimum, she couldn’t deny the fact that the Galra Empire had wiped out her race. She trusted Keith; he was probably the only Galra she trusted as it was, but there were still times when her thoughts went down a dark path and she wanted to blame him. It hadn’t been his fault, she knew that, but his father had been the one to wage war. Keith hadn’t been there to fight with her family. Even if he hadn’t been with his own family fighting, she wanted to blame him. It wasn’t his fault. Not in the slightest.

The betrayal of her father’s closest friend sowed the doubt she held for the rest of the Galra. It was entirely possible that the Blade of Marmora simply wanted to help them end the war. Still, the nagging feeling in the back of her mind told her they were enemies. At the moment, she couldn’t let her own feelings get in the way. She had to be the diplomat she was trained to be.

“All we want to do is help put a stop to Zarkon. Voltron is the strongest weapon in history. It’s the only thing Zarkon fears. Allow us to provide you with any information we may have that will allow you to succeed in stopping him.” Krolia spoke for both of them as she addressed Allura directly. There was distrust among them, something that none of them were able to ignore. Shiro got the feeling Krolia was being honest.

“May I ask why Galra would want to rebel against their Emperor?” Hunk was the one to ask the burning question. All of them could understand why Keith was on their side. If anything, Shiro understood almost too well. He was reminded what the Galra were capable of every time he looked at Keith. They all were. They had yet to talk about the bombshell that King Alfor's corrupted memory core had dropped on them all. Shiro was almost certain it meant that Zarkon was Keith’s father. Even he could understand not wanting to admit that to anyone. Now, there were more Galra who were fighting against Zarkon. Shiro could almost admire it, if not for how wary he was about the situation.

“Our founder lost everything to the Empire when the war began. She believed in the idea that knowledge was power and there was nothing more absolute than the truth. When the war broke out ten thousand decaphoebs ago, she weeded out those who opposed Zarkon and banded them together. Under her guidance, our organization solidified and we grew. We share in common two things. Zarkon has taken something from us and we desire to stop him.” Ulaz was silent as Krolia once again answered.

“And what sort of information could you possibly give us?” Allura asked, taking the conversation over once again.

“We can take you to the rebellion led by Lady Gilla. We also have spies all over the Empire. Any information they send, we will share. If we had been in contact earlier we could have provided aid with your liberation of Balmera X-95-Vox.” Ulaz finally spoke up, drawing Allura’s attention to him. “Need I remind you, also, that if not for Krolia, your Blue and Red Paladins wouldn’t be here.”

“He’s right, Allura. If Krolia hadn’t helped me through the ship I wouldn’t have found the Blue Lion and Keith probably would have died there.” Lance spoke up, sounding more confident than he felt. He wanted to trust them. He wanted to believe in Keith’s instincts that told him he could trust them. It was hard. These were of the same race who threatened to invade his home. But...maybe they weren’t all so bad. Krolia had helped him before she even knew him. That may have been because he had Keith with him, but she had helped him and that was important. Allura looked like she was rolling their words over in her mind.

“Where is the rebellion?” Allura was almost at the point of trusting them. She knew that Voltron couldn’t do this alone. She certainly didn’t want to admit that to anyone, including herself, but it was a fact she couldn’t avoid forever. If they were going to stop the war, they needed help. If Galra were willing to help, she couldn’t say no. Not when she had seen what they were putting on the line.

“On a planet named Rocestal in the Nokina system. It’s approximately twenty-three lightyears away.” Krolia’s answer made Lance regret not paying more attention in his astronomical classes. He knew it was far but he couldn’t fathom how far that was. Was that how far Earth was from them, as well? Would he ever see his home again? He mentally shook the thought away. There was a lot more for them to worry about than going home.

“Rocestal isn’t stable enough to sustain life. How in the universe are they staying alive?” Coran had heard about Rocestal and many other planets in the Nokina system. The Nokina star made things unbearable. It was bad enough to just pass through the system but to actually set up an organization in the heart of the system sounded impossible.

“You are correct to an extent. The planet is a constant storm and the air has been known to be toxic to certain species. Lady Gilla had a particle barrier constructed to keep her followers safe. If the particle barrier remains intact, then they can fight off the wind. They have protocols to follow to keep their people safe. We will have to make contact with them before we land. Otherwise, they won’t let us under the barrier. It’s the best place for a secret rebellion.” Ulaz grimaced slightly as he thought about actually speaking to Munzar again. Krolia seemed to take pity on him.

“If you would like to go, we can take you. We will have to wait to contact them until we’re at least in their system. Lady Gilla doesn’t like to be kept waiting.” It was a miracle the rebellion had gotten anything accomplished with how impatient their leader was. Krolia had never met anyone as impatient as her except for maybe Lotor. That was a conversation for another day.

“Coran set the coordinates for the Nokina system.” The adviser did as told, announcing that even with the wormhole, it would take them at least a quintant before they made it to the first planet in the Nokina system, Thiwridry. Allura sent everyone to rest, even going so far as to offer chambers to Ulaz and Krolia for them to also rest. Their schedules had been so hectic in the last day that Lance wasn’t even sure if it was still night or morning - or if he had missed a day entirely between all the chaos.

He paused at his room, Keith to his right at his own door. Hunk and Shiro paid them no heed as they both walked straight into their own rooms that Lance took a risk.

“Can I sleep with you...uh...in your bed with you at least…” A blush burned at his cheeks as he twiddled his thumbs nervously. Keith offered him a small smile and opened his door, holding his hand out in invitation. Lance took his hand and allowed Keith to pull him inside. He had liked how warm Keith was, and after everything that had happened since they left the Balmera he didn’t want to be alone. It seemed like either Keith also didn’t want to be alone or he was taking pity on Lance. The Blue Paladin didn’t care which one it was.

He stripped his armor and changed into the clothes Keith offered him. Slipping into bed next to Keith felt like second nature. It was comfortable. Almost as if he were returning home. His soul mark warmed as soon as he felt Keith’s arm pull him closer. He smiled as he settled his head against Keith’s chest. Yes, this felt like home. This was right where he belonged, forever if he could manage to stay alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed :)
> 
> Edited 12/15/2020 for clarity


	10. Rebellion

Lotor stepped off his ship, a smile plastered to his expression as he greeted the members of his colony. Pollux hadn’t turned out as he had planned and it took him everything not to let his greediness exceed his means. He couldn’t harvest them for their quintessence if there weren’t enough to continue the population. It was their quintessence that had kept his mother alive for so many decaphoebs. She may not remember who she was but Lotor insisted on keeping her alive. Not for his father’s sake - the man could rot on that throne for all Lotor cared - Honerva deserved better than what she had. Lotor one day hoped to bring her home, or as close to home as Pollux had become to the remaining Alteans.

“Your Highness, it is always a pleasure to see you grace our home.” The queen was as beautiful as he remembered when she approached him. Had she been a royal on Altea he would have never had the chance to appreciate her beauty up close. She wasn’t as beautiful as her daughter. In fact, Romelle had been his entire reason for visiting this time. The last thing he needed was for more Alteans to attempt leaving the planet. If they discovered he had lied about the second colony, he wouldn’t be able to stop the riot it would cause. As it was, King Coba was cooperating only because Lotor had threatened to send him to his father should he refuse. He was a good actor, even if he was scared of their savior.

“I have come with some terrible news about your daughter. It seems the young Princess Romelle tried to rendezvous with me and my father caught her. I am working on freeing her but Zarkon isn’t nearly as kind as I am.” The lies flowed from his lips smoothly as he gripped Queen Orla’s hand gently. While it had been true that Princess Romelle had been captured by one of his father’s commanders, Prorok allowed her to escape and now Lotor didn’t know where she was. He needed to find her, to make sure she didn’t return home and tell his secrets. He thought he had her under his thumb, keeping her sated and blissed out too much to do anything. He had been wrong. He shouldn’t have taken her brother. Bandor kept her from caring much about what happened to her, but his quintessence was aggressively strong.

“I know you’ll do your best to bring her back to us Your Highness. Any news from Bandor on the second colony? Is he doing okay? Is he able to rule over the other Alteans by himself?” Queen Orla would believe anything Lotor told her. He knew that. She utterly admired him. Even if he told her Bandor, her only son, was dead she wouldn’t be upset with him. Her mind would make some excuse as to why it wasn’t his fault. He had trained her to do so since she was a young girl. It was why he knew his request wouldn’t be denied.

“Your son has requested your presence on the other colony, to help him rule. I’m sure King Coba will be able to control things by himself.” A glance at the King told Lotor he wasn’t going to argue even if he wanted to. Lotor had given no reason for the King to deny what he said. Even King Coba wasn’t aware of what happened to the Alteans Lotor took. And he wouldn’t. So long as Queen Orla didn’t try to escape him as Bandor had. He would hate to have to kill someone who brought him so much pleasure.

“Of course! When do we leave?” Queen Orla wouldn’t deny him anything. She hadn’t even needed to think of what he was requesting. She had no reason to hesitate, even as her husband looked shocked at her response. Lotor had to keep himself from smirking at him. His plan was coming together nicely.

“Later tonight. I want you to have the chance to say goodbye to your subjects here.” He smiled down at her, connivingly. He watched her leave as the sentries began their task of scanning the Alteans for strong quintessence.

In the beginning, the idea of a second colony had been legitimate. Though Lotor doubted others could navigate the quantum abyss like he could, there was always the chance that the Pollux would be found. At one point he had wanted to save the race his mother came from. He had wanted to honor Keith’s wishes of the Alteans being saved from the war. His brother had a soft spot for them since his soulmate had been Altean. Lotor wanted to do good. However, their quintessence was much too strong for him to ignore. Just one Altean’s quintessence could keep his mother alive for a decaphoeb. The more she received, the longer she survived. If he could pull her away from his father, she could thrive amongst her own people. Lotor’s reluctance to enslave the people he conquered had made him an outcast to his father and he had been exiled. He was stripped of his title as Crown Heir and sent away. Idly he wondered if that was how Keith and Bralae had felt when they were stripped of their titles as well. He hadn’t thought of them in a long while. They were insects in his life until recently. Until he found out about the Blade of Marmora and the return of Voltron. Until he learned his elder brother had escaped their father’s hold and had joined Voltron. Until he heard the truth about Bralae and what she had done to cause the war to start. His sister didn’t even realize she had confessed to him yet, and that made things more interesting. He contemplated how he could manipulate that information to his advantage but for the moment, he had a queen to steal.

The trip to Rocestal was interesting and slightly terrifying for Lance. It had taken them nearly a week to get to the planet in the first place. The planet itself let off a slightly purple glow as they neared it. Coran had said it was from storm debris and dust from the planet’s surface. Lance couldn’t be so sure. Jupiter was a gas planet with lots of storms and it was red. Was the soil purple? Would it be brown like soil on Earth?

Landing the ship was hard enough between having to fight the storms and find the resistance base that had settled there. The storms destroyed all of their systems as they flew through the clouds of debris and swirls of dust. They were unable to use the sensors to figure out exactly where the camp was located. Now that he experienced the storms, Lance thought the planet’s atmosphere resembled Uranus more than Jupiter. Uranus had more storms than Jupiter.

The soil wasn’t purple like Lance had expected as the ship almost crash-landed just outside of a particle barrier surrounding what looked like a campsite. It was a deep blue and Lance could smell the scent of the ocean and the harsh scent of sulfur through his helmet. The wind was bitter and harsh almost like the winters on Earth yet it was warmer than he had expected. Lance was unable to see through the dust, except for the faint glow of the particle barrier that stood as a beacon of hope for him and the other paladins.

The group fought the wind towards the barrier. Lance wished he had been wearing a bandanna or something similar when they came down but at least his armor and helmet kept most of the debris away from him. From what he could see, it was almost like the planet was a desert with massive storms. They really hadn’t been kidding about a constant storm when describing the planet. Who had thought that putting a rebellion on such a planet was a good idea?

Ulaz was the one who stopped in front of a darker area of the blue particle barrier and knocked six times. They waited, somewhat impatiently and uncomfortably, for someone to answer their knock. As they waited, Lance tried to learn more about the planet they were on. Through the barrier, Lance could see the encampment. It wasn’t like what he had seen in old movies depicting the time of the Renaissance. There weren’t canvas-covered tents settled around hearths. The resistance had shacks and cabins scattered around the area with a large building with a tower reaching high into the sky that ended just under the tip of the particle barrier. It looked like the buildings were made out of stone and wood but Lance couldn’t see that far into the settlement. What he could see was how low tech everything was for such a massive operation. There were a few storage pods and some ships around the edges of the storage pods. There were no extravagant pieces of machinery or technology inside the camp.

The sound of footprints crushing the dirt behind them grabbed at Lance’s attention. He turned to see someone entirely covered in dust covered clothing approaching them through the wind.

Slegirs moved from her ship through the harsh, hot wind, and to the particle barrier. Her blue mask, a piece of rough cloth tied around her lower face, shielded her mouth and nose from the dust flying around in swirling patterns. Her eyes were covered by the thick lenses the trader she had gotten them from had called goggles. The wind ripped through her hair and bit through the rest of her clothing as she came to a stop in front of the entrance to the resistance camp. Beings she did not recognize, save for the Blade of Marmora members and the two Alteans that stood with him, stood in front of her. There were nine of them in total. She came to a stop in front of them just in time for the barrier to open enough for the group to get through.

Slegirs hoped that the Blade had good judgment as she let them enter the encampment first before her. If she were to take more time to look at the strange beings, she would have recognized the color patterns to their clothing, but at the moment, all she wanted was to get out of the rough wind and into the safety that Lady Gilla provided for them.

The second Slegirs stepped into the barrier she felt like she could breathe again and she pulled the cloth from her face and took in a deep breath of the stale air. In front of her and the group stood Munzar, Lady Gilla’s left-hand man and lieutenant of her army. He must have been the one to open the barrier for them all. His armor was a dark blue, almost slate grey, and was covered by his black cloak. It was the chosen wear of the rebellion and even she only took hers off when it was absolutely necessary.

The sand and wind had turned her cloak blue as the sand clung to the material. The only good thing about the sand was that it reflected the sun’s rays off of her body so she didn’t overheat. She and her people weren’t built to withstand the heat that she experienced on Rocestal. Just thinking about how hot she was made her homesick for a place she could never return to. The Zurgs were a people who used to live on an ice planet that had long been taken over by the Galra. Her entire family had been killed in retaliation of her rebellion but that hadn’t stopped her from fighting back. After she had escaped the slave mines of her planet, Slegirs had been captured by Galra soldiers and sent to another battlecruiser where she had eventually met Lady Gilla and Thace. The Galra had introduced himself as his commander, Prorok and Slegirs hadn’t understood why. Still, she agreed to refer to him as such. She had never regretted her decision to resist the Galra’s rule nor the decision to leave her planet to fight elsewhere. Still, some days she missed her mother’s Sider soup. She hadn’t come across another water species that tasted quite so juicy or so strong that could also handle the freeze of her planet’s waters.

“Where is Lady Gilla? I must speak to her immediately.” Slegirs ignored the newcomers and turned her attention to the camp in front of her. She knew there was no way she would see the Altean Princess who she had sworn her loyalty to unless it was absolutely necessary. Did Lady Gilla know that there were others of her kind in the camp? Were these two from her colony as well? Maybe they were here to offer their assistance rather than rat them out to Zarkon and his army. That would have been the last thing they needed, save for Zarkon himself arriving on Rocestal.

“She is in her quarters awaiting the arrival of one Princess Allura.” Allura? Slegirs had heard of that name before but had always assumed it was from a tale. The group next to her tensed as they all looked at each other and then at the Altean in the center. It was one of the Galra who addressed Munzar.

“If I may, Munzar, allow me to introduce Princess Allura of Altea and her comrades. She is ready to speak to your Princess whenever she is,” Ulaz spoke calmly as he gestured to the Altean in the center. Her white hair was in a long braid, her armor the same as the unknown creatures standing next to her with the same colors as her markings. If it wasn’t for the royal markings on her face, Slegirs wouldn’t believe she was royalty at all. The eye markings were a deep pink rather than the traditional blue that every other Altean she had ever met had. Slegirs felt a strong quintessence coming from her.

“You are Princess Allura? How do we know that you are truly who you say you are?” Munzar was suspicious, as he should be given that mere phoebs ago the Princess was kidnapped by Lotor and his generals. While Lady Gilla offered the Blades of Marmora her trust, Munzar and Slegirs were weary. They may have allowed these outsiders into their encampment but they would have to earn their trust.

“She is the last known Princess of the planet Altea that has long since been destroyed by Zarkon. Standing around her are the Paladins of Voltron and her adviser Coran. They were frozen in cryopods until the Paladins released them. I myself released Shiro, the Black Paladin, from the hands of the Galra. You may recognize the Red Paladin as Prince Keith of Daibazaal. Zarkon held him prisoner since the beginning of the war.” Ulaz’s words seemed to do the trick as Munzar nodded and turned to lead them to the center building. Slegirs made a point to ignore the Galran Paladin just as she had with the Blade of Marmora members.

“Lady Gilla’s chambers are at the top of the tower. You will wait in the lobby and I will inform her that you are here. Slegirs I will inform her that you have also returned and have information for her.” Munzar paused after the group passed through the threshold. “I shall return soon.”

Slegirs took the time to really get a good look at the so-called Paladins and this Princess Allura. If she had to guess, she would say that each Paladin wore the color of the lion they piloted. Princess Allura wore pink and white, which if the Zurg wasn’t wrong about was the customary color of grief for the ancient Alteans. Ulaz and Krolia wore their Blade of Marmora uniforms, and the other Altean wore a flight suit similar to the Princess’s only in grays and blues. Each looked different from the other in so many ways. What even was the species that the four Paladins came from? They looked a lot like the Alteans without the pointed ears and the eye scales. Were they also descendants of Altea, but from a different colony? There were so many questions and Slegirs didn’t have the time or luxury to get the answers to them.

A few dobashes later, Munzar returned with Lady Gilla following after him. Her long golden hair was tied up so it was out of her face and she wore a gown in pink and blue to show her standing as a member of Pollux’s royal family. It was a position she didn’t exactly appreciate unless it could be used to help the resistance or gain the upper hand in negotiations.

“Slegirs, would you like to begin?” Slegirs hesitated, glancing at the others in the chamber. She didn’t feel comfortable divulging the information she received from Thace at their last mission. Would they know Commander Prorok was dead? Thace had told her in their last transmission before she had been interrupted by Rolo and Nyma. She hoped they wouldn’t out her contact by announcing Commander Prorok dead.

“Prorok has been moved to a different position. He was instrumental in stopping Zarkon from finding The Voltron Lions and allowed the Blade of Marmora to find them instead.” Eyeing the Paladins, Slegirs wanted to believe what Thace said at the end of his transmission. Krolia looked like she wanted to say something but held her tongue. “He also reported that the legend of Voltron is real and that Voltron is back. I assume I’m late with that information, however.”

Lady Gilla was quiet as she took in the information. Finally, after a dobash or two, she turned to the Paladins and the Princess. “Am I wrong to assume that Prorok’s information is true? You are the Paladins of Voltron?”

Slegirs turned to look at the group as well and she could only assume that they really were the Paladins that Thace stated had returned. Ulaz had even introduced them as such. It had to be true. As for the Princess, Altea had been destroyed many decaphoebs ago. There was no way that this was the Princess of Altea, as Ulaz had claimed. The only descendants of Altea that existed in the universe were those of Pollux. The colony was situated on the other side of the Quantum Abyss. It was difficult to access without knowing how to travel through the Abyss.

“We are the Paladins of Voltron. I am Shiro, the Paladin of the black lion. The one in red is the Paladin of the Red Lion, Keith. Lance is the one in blue and he pilots the Blue Lion. Pidge and Hunk are the paladins of the green and yellow Lion, respectively. We come from a planet known as Earth. With us are Princess Allura of Altea and her adviser Coran.” That answered one of Slegirs’s questions; if what she remembered about the planet Earth the species that inhabited the planet was known as human. Well, the species that ran the planet was known as human at least.

Slegirs had only met one person who had gone to Earth and came back, and that was Krolia. Her mission to stop the Galra from finding the Yellow Lion had succeeded but she had spent many phoebs on the planet. She even had a child with one of the humans. Krolia had insisted on not telling Slegirs her child’s name, but she had left them with her dagger from the Blades. She had said it would lead them back to her, hopefully when the war was over. She had only told Slegirs this in case the Galra killed her before she could meet her child again. Krolia now held two daggers instead of the one she had been carrying the last time Slegirs saw her. That most likely meant that her child was dead. If they had the time, she would mourn for Krolia. There was nothing but sadness and death to be had for any Galra in the war, even those on the rebellion’s side. Their Emperor was cruel and had made many enemies.

The other Galra, one she had never met but had heard of him, was the Red Paladin. Prince Keith of Daibazaal had been a legend among the rebellion. Thace had told her and Lady Gilla at one point that the prince was being held by Zarkon’s witch and interrogated. He had insisted that if Keith was ever freed, he would be an ally to their cause. Slegirs couldn’t blindly trust any of them. Sure, Thace had helped her escape Commander Prorok’s battle cruiser. Lady Gilla had given her anger a place to be used. She still didn’t trust the Galra. They had taken over Sulehis as if it was nothing for them. As if the planet and its people belonged to them. No. Even if this was the legendary Prince Keith Slegirs wouldn’t trust him. She wouldn’t trust any of them.

Allura had been surprised when she saw the leader of the rebellion. She had thought that all Alteans had been wiped out. There was no mention of her people throughout recent history as she caught herself up on current events. Yet, in front of her stood an Altean. Her followers referred to her as a princess. Allura wondered how that could be possible if Altea no longer existed. If she was a princess, why was she there leading a rebellion? There were so many questions and Allura didn’t have the ability to ask any of them.

“I see. I’m sure Munzar has already told you who I am but allow me to formally introduce myself. I am known as Lady Gilla. I run this encampment as well as the rebellion against Zarkon’s reign.” Allura noticed that Keith had also nearly flinched when she said her name. That had been Marmora’s mother’s name, the wife of the former Yellow Paladin, Gyrgan. The family had been friends to both of them and Keith’s sister had been in love with Marmora before her death. Allura had seen their deaths broadcasted and she was sure that Keith had as well. Seeing someone use her name like this was almost disgraceful.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Gilla.” Allura hoped no one noticed how hard she said the name. They were supposed to be forming an alliance, not making enemies and she didn’t want her own feelings to get in the way of that. The woman offered her a smile, either because she didn’t hear the emphasis on her name or because she had and wanted Allura to know. Allura brushed it off.

“What do I owe the pleasure of meeting the legendary Voltron Paladins?” Allura and Coran had been excluded from the statement but she supposed they weren’t as important to the cause as the Paladins were. Zarkon may be the only one who knew the power she held as the heir to the Altean throne. Her quintessence was more powerful than other Alteans.

“We’ve come to discuss an alliance between our parties. As you know, Voltron stands as a defender for the universe. A legend if you will. Even we can only do so much without the support of those already fighting against Zarkon.” As much as she hated to admit it, the Paladins weren’t trained well enough for a head-on fight with Zarkon. They had barely managed to make it through the few fights they had been in as it was. They needed help. “The Blade of Marmora has already offered us information on Zarkon’s movements but we are stronger together.”

Lady Gilla seemed to think it over, glancing over at Krolia and Ulaz briefly before returning her gaze to Allura. The Altean Heir almost felt nerves build up as she waited. The chamber was silent, save for the sounds of the camp outside. If she listened hard enough Allura swore she could hear the wind outside of the barrier. She was on pins and needles awaiting the answer. Nothing had unnerved her like this since the first diplomatic discussion she had conducted by herself. Finally, Lady Gilla spoke.

“I see. Maybe this is a conversation we should have in private between us leaders. Krolia, will you take Kolivan’s place since your leader isn’t present?” Krolia nodded her agreement but didn’t speak. “Very good. Munzar will you show our guests to chambers they can use for the time being. And do show them around. Should you need anything we will be in my chambers.”

Lady Gilla turned to return to the stairs, Allura and Krolia following after her. They didn’t give their friends the chance to argue as they followed Lady Gilla up the stairs. Coran and Shiro had definitely not felt comfortable letting Allura go with the other two alone but they had to trust in her ability to protect herself. Maybe Krolia would help her as well should Lady Gilla attack.

“Allow me to show you around the camp, then I will show you to the guest chambers. Slegirs, will you prepare the ones of the fourth level for me?” Munzar addressed the group as a whole but was staring at the stairs where his leader had disappeared to her chambers. If he hadn’t known Lady Gilla his entire life, he would be more worried. While he didn’t know what she was thinking, he knew she had a plan and knew what she was doing.

“Do I look like a servant to you?” Slegirs complained as she watched Munzar lead the Paladins out of the tower. He didn’t reply to her and all she did was groan in response to his silence. She would be the one tasked with preparing chambers for visitors she didn’t even trust. Still, she didn’t want to disappoint Lady Gilla, so she did as told. She watched as the last of the Paladins left the tower and sneered at the door before turning to do her task. She hated taking orders.

Pidge had never felt so exhausted as they did when they returned to the tower after Munzar’s tour. The camp didn’t look that large but as they walked around it, Pidge realized how large it really was. They also realized how few people were there working in the camp. For such a large camp they hadn’t seen many people working. Were they all out? It felt so empty as Pidge looked around the tents. If they had the chance to actually talk with any of them, Pidge would have liked to ask if they had any word on where their father and brother were. Surely someone in the camp would know. They had been gathering information for years according to Munzar. Yet they hadn’t actually gotten to talk to anyone in the rebellion. Shiro noticed their expression as they all gathered at the top of the stairs - which was another thing Pidge couldn’t understand, why were there no elevators in a tower with so many floors? - and put a hand on their shoulder. He offered them a smile when Pidge looked up and they smiled back. Munzar didn’t pay the interaction any heed as he showed them to the chambers they were going to stay in. Apparently, there weren’t enough for all of them to stay in comfortably by themselves so they needed to double up, or triple up since one chamber had three beds and there was an uneven amount of them.

After some debate, the chambers were divided and Shiro resigned himself to sharing a chamber with Coran and Hunk. It wasn’t so bad, he liked them both well enough, he had just grown used to having his own chamber. Lance and Keith were in the chamber across from them with Allura and Pidge next to them. Ulaz and Krolia were to share the chamber opposite of Pidge and Allura and next to the one Shiro was staying in. He was sure that if they asked Lady Gilla, more chambers could be provided but he didn’t want to overstep any boundaries. At this point, Shiro wasn’t even sure if there was going to be an alliance between the three groups. He could only hope that Allura’s diplomatic training worked in their favor.

Dinner came and went without a word from the three women upstairs. The food was just what Lance would expect from a rebellion located in the middle of an uninhabitable solar system - dull and colorless. It was almost worse than the food goo but at least with the goo Lance knew what to expect. Coran had explained to him what the goo was made of and while Lance didn’t actually care to know, the food he was currently eating was so tasteless he wasn’t sure he wanted to know what it was made from.

Munzar hadn’t eaten with them. Instead, he had brought trays of food up the stairs and didn’t return for almost an hour. When he did return, everyone had finished eating and Ulaz, Coran, and Shiro were in a deep conversation that Lance hadn’t been paying attention to. He did hear Munzar tell them that negotiations were still ongoing and probably would until late night. Lance almost frowned but caught himself. He didn’t know how diplomatic talks happened but he doubted it would take that long. Would it?

Lance followed Keith back to the room they were going to share for the night. As if they hadn’t shared a room before, or a bed for that matter. This room actually did have two beds for them, which Lance supposed he should feel thankful for but honestly, he had wanted an excuse to sleep next to Keith again. He quietly changed into his pajamas, which Coran and Hunk had retrieved from the Castle in the time between the end of the tour and dinner being served. He was thankful he wouldn’t have to sleep in his armor or flight suit again. His back still ached from his night on Ulaz’s ship.

Keith caught himself staring. Lance’s soul mark was uncovered as the Paladin changed clothes. The colors of the ocean and tornado stood out against the darker coloring of his skin. Keith’s own mark wasn’t as vibrant. Parts of the ocean blended in with his skin. Had his soul mark been on the other side of his chest, his scar would have cut right through it. Thankfully, it hadn’t. He could display it shamelessly for Lance, just as Lance had with his own the night he showed it to Keith. Their marks were the same but Keith thought it looked more beautiful on Lance’s skin than his own.

“Keith?” Quiznak. Had he been staring too long? He looked up sheepishly, only to see Lance not looking at him. He hadn’t moved at all. His shirt was still hanging around his elbows as if Lance had been in the middle of putting it on. He was deep in thought. Keith closed the short distance between them, walking the four steps it took so he was standing next to his soulmate. Lance didn’t even flinch.

“Lance?” Keith asked hesitantly, reaching up to brush the stray strands of hair that had fallen into Lance’s eyes out of the way. Lance finally looked at him but still didn’t move to finish putting his shirt on.

“Can I ask you something?” Lance had never worried about asking permission before asking questions. Even when he knew those questions may strike a nerve with whoever he was talking to, Lance always spoke his mind. His expression was grim as well, unnerving Keith.

“Of course, Lance.” He confirmed, regardless of the fact that Lance never needed his permission.

“Do you think we can actually beat Zarkon? Like what are we even doing here? Two months ago, I was just a boy from Cuba trying to get his pilot’s license. Now I’m some legendary Paladin that the universe is relying on to save it. Do we even stand a chance?” Keith dropped his hand down to Lance’s arm, still covered by his shirt, and squeezed. He hated how broken and lost Lance sounded. How scared he was. There was nothing Keith could do to make it easier for him but he had to try. He loved Lance’s smile. It didn’t feel right for him to be so upset.

“Alone, probably not. With the help of the rebellion and the Blades, we may actually be able to put a stop to Zarkon. It’ll take time and a lot of effort but I think we can do it. My father is powerful but he isn’t invincible.” Keith wouldn’t stop until their mission was a success. Allura may have assumed that revenge fueled his desire to stop his father but it wasn’t that. Sure, he wanted to avenge his fallen lover and prove to his father that he was a great warrior, but his desire to protect Lance and get him home safely was what fueled his motivation more. He knew Lance was homesick. Unlike Keith or Allura and Coran, he had a home to go to. Keith had never been to Earth but from how Lance, Shiro, Pidge, and Hunk had described, it sounded beautiful. One day he hoped to visit. One day, he hoped to visit with Lance. He couldn’t show Lance his home planet or Altea but he could allow Lance to show him his home. Maybe he would get to meet his family...no he couldn’t let him think like that. They weren’t together. They were at war. Keith couldn’t afford to allow his affection for Lance to be known by the enemy. Especially when their enemy was his father and he’d do anything to break Keith. His arms moved so they were wrapped loosely around Lance’s shoulders.

“I just want to go home.” Keith had said those exact words while he and Lance were on Rolo’s ship. Lance had promised to bring him home, and even Keith knew that was impossible. Keith’s home no longer existed but he could make a new one. He’d already started to. The Castle of Lions had become his home and the Paladins, Coran, and Allura were his family. None of them had any business being in this war, yet here they were.

“Do you remember when we were trapped on Rolo’s ship. I told you that exact thing. You promised to get me home. You did. You brought me back to the Castle of Lions. To the people I’m beginning to consider family. It’s my turn to make a promise. I swear I’ll not only keep you safe, but I’ll also bring you back to Earth. Back to...Cuba? Home. I’ll bring you home.” Lance had turned in his arms and buried his head in Keith’s neck. His shirt had slid from his arms and fell to the floor when he wrapped his arms around Keith’s waist. Keith’s arms tightened around his shoulders, one hand reaching up to lace through his hair.

“I miss my mom. I miss Varadero and the beach. I miss my family.” The words were mumbled into Keith’s neck but he didn’t stop Lance from talking. Lance listened to Coran and Allura talk about how much they missed Altea any time they brought it up. He had listened to Keith talk about how much he missed Lancel. Keith hadn’t realized that probably hurt him, now that he knew they were both soulmates. He hadn’t known when he spoke of Lancel before, but now that he did, he tried to avoid the subject. It was only fair that he listen to Lance talk about his own homesickness.

“Tell me about your family.” Talking had helped Keith, and he knew that Allura and Coran felt better after venting about how much they also missed home. Hopefully, it would be the same for Lance. He moved them, slowly so he didn’t bother Lance, to the nearest bed and laid down with Lance still in his arms.

“Momma raised me and my four siblings alone after she and my father divorced. My grandparents tried to help where they could but we were a handful. Marco, my oldest brother, worked a lot as a teenager to help Momma pay the bills. My oldest sister, Rachel, met her soulmate while she was away at college and moved to America with him. Veronica, my other sister is a couple of years older than me. She went to the Garrison. She’s an analyst for them now. She inspired me to become a fighter pilot. Luis is my younger brother. He was about to go into high school when we found the Yellow Lion.” Honestly, Keith didn’t understand a lot of what Lance was talking about, but he liked hearing his voice. He felt he was learning a lot about Lance, more than he had before.

“My family probably thinks I’m dead. I didn’t even get to say goodbye to Veronica before leaving.” Tears hit Keith’s neck and his arms tightened around Lance. He hadn’t seen the man cry before but just feeling his tears hurt him.

“I’m sure they’re waiting for you to return. If they knew what you were doing they’d be so proud of you.” Just like Keith was. “At least they’re safe. Zarkon hasn’t made it to Earth yet.”

“As far as we know...The Blades would tell us if that was the case, right?” Keith hoped they would. The lights dimmed around them as the night cycle began. Keith was glad he didn’t have to stand up to turn the lights off. He didn’t want to let Lance go.

“Yeah, they would. There’s need to worry until we hear differently, alright.” Keith pressed a soft kiss to the top of Lance’s hair before he knew what he had done. “Go to sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

Lance didn’t reply. Keith felt him bury his head further into his neck if that was even possible. He reached around Lance and pulled the blanket over them both and relaxed. He wouldn’t fall asleep until Lance did, but he wanted to make himself as comfortable as he could before then so he didn’t bother Lance while he was sleeping. Slowly, Lance’s breath evened out and his grip relaxed. Keith smiled as he realized Lance had fallen asleep and allowed himself to do the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Edited 12/16/2020 for clarity


	11. Return

This was not what Queen Orla had expected. Prince Lotor was good at manipulating people, but even his lies couldn’t convince the Altean Queen not to be scared. Good. She should be afraid. Acxa had seen the types of things her Prince was capable of. No. Lotor wasn’t her Prince. She only worked for him so she could keep an eye on his actions and report them back to her leader. Almost everyone believed that Zarkon was the only enemy they had to worry about but Acxa had seen what the exiled Prince was capable of. It hurt watching people she didn’t even know, be picked off for their quintessence. Since Princess Romelle was missing from Galra custody, Acxa hadn’t told her leader about the Pollux colony. She knew the people wouldn’t trust them, not after Lotor filled their heads with lies.

Queen Orla hadn’t stopped crying since she realized Lotor wasn’t taking her to the second colony. There wasn’t even a second colony for him to take her to. Acxa felt sorry for her. In one varga, her entire world crashed around her. She found out the truth - her son was dead and her daughter probably never loved their so-called god as she had thought. She wouldn’t return home. She’d never see her husband or people again.

She’d been given the task of keeping the Queen alive for Lotor. If she hadn’t been so worried about the woman, Acxa would have complained. The task was beneath her. The door creaked open in front of Acxa. Queen Orla sat in the corner, her knees up to her chest and her arms circling around them. The dirt from the floor was already staining her white and pink dress. Acxa frowned but didn’t comment on it as she stepped in to put the tray of food down. The Queen looked at her suspiciously.

“It’s not poisoned. Prince Lotor wants you alive.” If he hadn’t, she would have joined the others in the quintessence chamber. “I know this is a shock but please, try to eat.”

The Queen hadn’t moved. Acxa couldn’t blame her. While Prince Lotor’s generals hadn’t taken part in his systematic genocide, they all knew what he had been doing. They all knew that the Alteans’ quintessence was going towards Empress Honerva, wherever Lotor had hidden her. None of them had stopped him. Acxa sighed and took a step back, towards the door of the cell. It wasn’t fair. The Queen hadn’t been a part of the war until Lotor brought her into it. Acxa had been lucky Lotor took her on as a general. The other Galra weren’t pleased with her half-breed status but Lotor didn’t care since he also was a half-breed. She had a freedom that even the remaining Alteans didn’t. She could move throughout the universe without the fear of being killed or turned over to the Emperor. The Alteans had to live in fear bundled away in a corner of the universe no one traveled through. Or worse, in a cell on a murderer’s ship. If she could set it up, she would get the Queen out of there. To somewhere safe. She just wasn’t sure how. Lotor knew almost every one of their moves. He seemed to always be watching. For that, Acxa hadn’t contacted her uncle in over a decaphoeb. Doing so now would be risky. Still, she had to save Queen Orla. And the rest of the Alteans on Pollux. She turned to walk away as soon as the door shut behind her. The slam of it felt like the death toll had rung on their newest prisoner.

Allura wouldn’t admit how exhausted she was as she and Krolia retired to their chambers. The negotiations had taken most of the evening and they still hadn’t come to an agreement. Allura would be lucky to get four vargas of sleep before she had to return to the negotiations. She wasn’t asking for a lot; she wasn’t even asking to take control over the planning and organization of an attack. All she wanted was Lady Gilla to swear her people would help them when it came to a full-on assault against Zarkon and the freedom to return to helping people as Voltron was meant to do. Lady Gilla wanted Voltron to stay in the encampment until they finished planning and preparing for an attack. She had also demanded the Blade of Marmora do the same, pulling their spies from Zarkon’s ranks to help with the preparations. Krolia had backed Allura up on them needing their freedom to continue their own missions. It would be detrimental to all the Blades had worked towards to pull their spies. Allura agreed with Krolia and the two had argued with Lady Gilla for the rest of the night before the woman decided she was tired.

When Allura woke the next morning, Pidge was already up and gone from the chamber. The Nokina star seemed to be shining brightly but Allura was sure that it was just the graphic from the particle barrier. When they had arrived, she could feel the heat from the star but couldn’t see its rays. It hadn’t been until they were under the barrier that she thought she could see it. Allura stood and dressed, thankful to whoever had grabbed her a change of clothes. She stretched her limbs out, preparing herself for more negotiations before setting about fixing her hair. Then, she opened the door to be met with Slegirs who led her back to Lady Gilla’s chambers.

Breakfast tasted no better than dinner had the night before. Hunk was almost certain it was the same food reheated and served to them. He looked suspiciously at Munzar as they ate. Munzar had once again missed the meal in favor of bringing trays of food to the women upstairs who had returned to the negotiations. Hunk didn’t like that they hadn’t had a chance to talk to either Krolia or Allura but he kept his mouth shut. He didn’t know how negotiation talks worked so he didn’t want to ruin anything by asking to see Allura. Pidge had told them that she hadn’t returned to their room until late when Pidge was already nearly asleep. For an insomniac like Pidge, that said a lot.

After they were all finished with Breakfast, Coran and Hunk lugged all of their stuff back down to the lounge. Coran and Ulaz had both insisted they leave that night, regardless if the negotiations were finished or not. Munzar had done his best to keep them in the camp, trying to convince them to allow the negotiations to finish before they made any hasty decisions but both men refused. Ulaz had stated he and Krolia had to check in with their leader Kolivan and the Paladins had other places to save. The argument had taken almost an hour before they were interrupted.

“Good, you already have our things ready to go. We’re leaving.” Allura came stomping down the stairs with Krolia behind her. The color drained from Munzar’s face as he saw the two women.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you leave without Lady Gilla’s permission. Only she can send the order for the barrier to be opened.” To his credit, Munzar didn’t stumble over his words even though he looked nervous.

“Then tell her to send the order. We’re leaving before we waste more time here.” Krolia was the one to make the demand. Hunk saw her eyes narrowed in anger and he gulped nervously. Something had happened. He just didn’t know what. A shot rang out before Munzar could respond and the man fell to the floor. All attention turned to where it came from. Slegirs was at a doorway Hunk hadn’t noticed before, holding a bloody and dirty blond woman over her shoulder.

After taking Allura and Krolia up to Lady Gilla’s chambers, Slegirs stayed outside the door for a few moments. They began to speak immediately, picking up where they had left off the night before when Slegirs first overheard them. Her suspicions had sparked to life when she heard Lady Gilla insisting the camp needed the Blade of Marmora and Voltron more than the universe did as a whole. She had been out there many times. They called it the war zone for a reason. No matter where she went, Galra were everywhere. Slegirs had put the idea of leaving in Ulaz and the other Altean - Coran was that his name? Slegirs was terrible at remembering names - earlier when she walked them down to the dining chamber. It was a chamber she hadn’t even known was there until the previous night. Usually, the tower was only meant for Lady Gilla and Munzar. Slegirs hadn’t spent so much time in the tower since it was built. Now she needed to know what the two of them had been hiding.

For a rebellion, they did very little. Slegirs went out often to gather information. There were other rebels who weren’t connected to Lady Gilla. She had heard of them being spread across the universe, doing anything they could to help mount an attack against Zarkon. They were closer than Lady Gilla was. It made Slegirs wonder what Lady Gilla was using the information she gathered for.

She had to be quick and quiet as she explored the different levels of the tower. Lady Gilla’s chambers were on the highest level with the generator for the particle barrier on the level below her. Other levels held chambers for storage but they were all empty. There should have been weapons, food, and other supplies in them but there was nothing. Slegirs bypassed the fourth level where she knew the guests were staying. The third and second levels held basic supplies for living, such as food, but nothing else. By the food she saw in the chambers, the entire camp should have been eating better than they were. Finally, she slipped down to the first level where the lobby and the dining chamber were. There was a door that led to the lower levels of the tower, levels Slegirs had only heard rumors of. The door creaked open when she pulled. She slipped through the slim opening before Munzar came to investigate, closing it as quietly as she could.

The stairs were steep and Slegirs had to be careful not to fall as she hurried down them. At the base, the chamber widened and the walls were lined with shackles. There was only one occupant but the moment Slegirs saw who it was she gasped.

“Lady Gilla?” How was that possible? The Altean Princess was upstairs, wasn’t she? The woman lifted her head, showing her bloodied face. There was a striking difference between this woman and the one Slegirs knew as Lady Gilla. Her eyes were a vibrant violet, whereas Lady Gilla’s were brown.

“My name is Romelle.” The words were croaked as the woman gasped for breath. Romelle was the name of the Princess of Pollux. It was the name Lady Gilla had told her while in captivity on Prorok’s ship before she insisted on the alias. Slegirs’ distrust for the woman she had sworn her allegiance to heightened. Something was definitely wrong.

The sounds of the tower above them were elevated and almost echoed. Above her, she could hear Munzar arguing with who she thought was Ulaz. Munzar was trying to convince the Paladins to stay. Her brain screamed that it was a trap. While she didn’t trust the Paladins or the Galra, she had a feeling they were safer than staying in the camp. Looking around, she searched for anything that could break the shackles holding Romelle up. Someone had been careless and left the keys hanging from a nail in the stone. Slegirs would take the luck and immediately unlocked the shackles. Romelle fell into Slegirs’ arms. The Zurg immediately repositioned her so she was leaning over her shoulders.

Walking up the stairs was slow. She had to support both herself and Romelle as she went up them. It took her at least two dobashes. When she opened the door, she was impressed it didn’t creak again. It worked in her favor. She glanced through the small crack she made and heard Princess Allura state they were leaving. Munzar made some terrible excuse only for Krolia to also insist they leave. Slegirs pulled her gun from her holster before she pushed the door open wider. No one paid her any attention as the door creaked. She took careful aim, shooting before Munzar could reply to Krolia. Munzar fell to the ground, blood pouring from the wound she made on his neck.

“Grab your belongings. I’ll help you get out of here.” Honestly, if Slegirs hadn’t been the one to suggest to him they leave, Coran would have been more suspicious of her. He probably should have been but instead, he started picking up their bags along with the rest of the Paladins and The Blade members. Slegirs led the way out of the tower and across the way to the barrier.

“Munzar said Lady Gilla was the only one who could open the barrier,” Allura called from behind her. Slegirs didn’t turn to look at her but shook her head slightly.

“He lied. Any of us can open the barrier. We need to hurry before someone sees us.” No doubt by then Lady Gilla had alerted the others in the camp to apprehend them before they got past the barrier.

To her shock, no one was standing at the airlock for the barrier when they arrived. That was just fine for her. Using her handprint, she opened the first door. She would have to be the last out in order to open the second door as well. Each of the others filed through the door into the airlock. Their helmets were on already so as soon as they were ready, she opened the second door. Before the first one closed, Slegirs shoved her way into the airlock. She had tied the cloth she used to keep the soil out of her mouth around Romelle’s mouth to keep her from breathing in the soil and choking. Her own goggles helped her navigate the harsh winds.

It wasn’t a long walk from the barrier to the ship the Paladins arrived in. Her own pod was farther away, hidden to where only she could find it. Too far for her to go to with Romelle on her back. Krolia pulled Romelle off of her before Princess Allura grabbed her hand and pulled her with them onto the ship. It looked more like a castle than a ship to her, but who knew how the Alteans built ships?

“We have a healing pod we can put this woman in, right Coran?” Princess Allura asked as she turned from Slegirs to the orange-haired man. Coran agreed, pulling Romelle from Krolia’s arms, and left the bay to go do as asked. Slegirs could see many pods of the same white metal as the ship she was in, lining either side of the walls. Two Galran pods caught her attention, the dark metal standing out against the pristine white around them. Those must belong to Krolia and Ulaz.

“Not that I’m complaining but why did we need to leave so quickly?” The small one, Slegirs wasn’t sure she ever caught the name, asked as the entire group began walking out of the bay as well. Their belongings were left on the ground as if they would somehow be returned to the right chambers. She supposed they had more important things to worry about. Slegirs didn’t know where they were going. She hoped they were leaving Rocestal.

“Lady Gilla was trying to force us to stay. She didn’t want us to leave to help others or for Krolia and Ulaz to rendezvous with the Blade of Marmora.” Princess Allura explained as she led them through the halls.

“She’s always been a suspicious character but that was even more suspicious than normal. Usually, when you negotiate with someone, there’s some bending done on either party but she wouldn’t. She refused all of our demands but insisted on her own being part of the agreement. Allura and I decided we couldn’t work with someone like her no matter how much having the rebellion on our side would benefit us.” Krolia added, turning to glance back at them. She and Ulaz were walking next to the Black Paladin just behind Allura.

“The rebellion wouldn’t have been much help. I’ve been out collecting information for her since I met her two decaphoebs ago but nothing has been done with it. Commander Thace has been feeding me information but asked me to refer to him as his previous commander, Prorok. I should have known something was wrong back then.” Slegirs felt stupid. She couldn’t even see the truth amidst all the lies. Krolia put her hand on Slegirs’ shoulder, causing the Zurg to look up at her.

“It’s not your fault. Lady Gilla is good at manipulation. She convinced Kolivan, the most intelligent man I know, to ally with her. If he hadn’t trusted her, we wouldn’t have ever brought the Paladins to her. For that, I am sorry, Princess Allura, Paladins of Voltron.” The Red Paladin, Keith if Slegirs remembered correctly, shook his head at her.

“It’s not your fault either. The important part is to start building a real rebellion to fight against Zarkon. And to figure out who the woman Slegirs found is.” It wasn’t the Red Paladin who spoke but the Black Paladin. Slegirs would have to ask their names again now that she found herself actually working with them.

“On my last few visits out, I heard rumors. There are rebels out there fighting Zarkon. They’re spread across the universe from what I’ve heard. Commander Thace gave me coordinates to one of their locations but asked me not to give them to Lady Gilla.” It was the first time Thace had made a request for her not to tell Lady Gilla information he gave her. She had assumed it was a test, so she had kept the information to herself for now.

“Can you get in contact with Thace? I would like to make sure we’re talking about the same person.” Krolia asked, turning her attention to Slegirs. The Zurg shook her head, her red hair fanning out as she did so.

“He usually contacts me. Without my ship, I won’t be able to receive his messages.” At the time, it was the safest option. No one would overhear what they were saying and no one could hack her systems while she was in the ship.

“What frequency is it on? I’m picking up two around us. I assume one is your ship and the other is from the camp?” The small one had moved over to a chair - white with green accents - and had begun typing on a device Slegirs had never seen before. Slegirs walked over to where they sat and looked down at the device. The screen was outdated but she could at least see what the Paladin was looking at. She pointed to the correct frequency. The Paladin began typing before the frequency displayed on the viewing screen in front of them. The Yellow Paladin walked to his own chair and began working on his console.

“There, now the frequency is connected to the Castle instead of your ship. Next time this guy contacts you, we can all listen. Or a few of us if that makes things easier.” Slegirs gaped at him in surprise. No one had ever been able to hack her frequency before and yet these two did it in nothing more than a few dobashes?

“How-?” That was all she could say as she continued to stare at them in shock. Princess Allura passed between them but Slegirs didn’t avert her gaze. The Blue Paladin laughed softly.

“They’re just really smart. I’ve seen these two do things I can’t even understand.” Slegirs turned her questioning gaze to him and he just shrugged his shoulders.

“Regardless of how, that problem is solved. Princess, do you have any idea where to go next? The sooner we leave, the better.” Ulaz reminded them of what they had just experienced by bringing them back to the issue at hand.

“I have an idea. Keith, can you set the coordinates for Olkari? Since Coran is in the infirmary with our guest, I’ll need someone who can read the systems to help me pilot the Castle.” Keith didn’t hesitate to step up to a different console, though this one was larger and was not near the white and red chair as Slegirs expected. He typed in what she assumed were coordinates into the keypad. Princess Allura’s hands glowed as the Castle came to life around them. The chamber shook as the Castle broke from the surface. Slegirs could hear the wind howling against the ship as they fought through it.

“Why Olkarion?” Ulaz asked as the viewing screen changed from Slegirs’ radio frequency to the atmosphere around them. The sight was something Slegirs was used to seeing any time she left the planet. Somehow, it looked better from the view on the Altean ship. 

“We recently helped them and they should be rebuilding their city as we speak. It would be a good place to stop and try to figure out our next move or wait for Thace to contact Slegirs. Also, if anyone were able to house a rebellion, it would be Ryner.” Slegirs had never heard of Olkari. She really hadn’t heard of a lot of places, honestly, but if the Princess trusted them, she would too. Krolia turned to look at Slegirs.

“Now, Slegirs, do you have any idea who that woman was?” Krolia was good at taking charge. Slegirs wondered how she and Princess Allura got along since they both had such strong personalities.

“She said her name was Romelle. When I first saw her, I thought she was Lady Gilla but their eyes are different. For as long as I’ve known Lady Gilla, her eyes have been brown. Romelle’s were violet.” Krolia seemed to narrow her own eyes at the information before turning Ulaz. He nodded, as if they had information they hadn’t shared. They probably did.

“The only Romelle I know of who would be worthwhile to keep captive is Princess Romelle of the Pollux colony.” Krolia was addressing them all now. “One of our spies reported the existence of an Altean colony on the other side of the quantum abyss in the Duskyal galaxy. She didn’t give us a lot to go off of, but she did tell us the Princess from the colony, Princess Romelle, had been taken from her home by a Galra battle cruiser and then subsequently disappeared from the Galran ship she was on.”

“There are more Alteans?” Princess Allura asked, shocked, as she turned to look directly at Krolia. The Galra hadn’t met her eye but nodded.

“We haven’t confirmed it yet but if the information is correct, then yes. Our spy hasn’t contacted us in decaphoebs so we can’t be sure if they were just telling us a rumor or if it is true. None of our ships are capable of going through the abyss so no one has had the chance to check it out.” Ulaz spoke in place of Krolia. He’d wanted the chance to explore the possibility of an Altean colony but he hadn’t been in a position until now.

“I see. We should wait until Romelle wakes up and get her side of things. If she backs up the claim of an Altean colony, we can gather whatever we would need to navigate the Quantum Abyss. For now, we’ll return to Olkari and speak with Ryner.” Princess Allura looked as if she was in deep thought as she spoke. Krolia and the Black Paladin nodded in agreement.

“I’m going to return the bags to our rooms. We still have a room available for Slegirs and Romelle, right?” The Blue Paladin asked the Princess. Princess Allura nodded.

“Next to Krolia’s chamber, there should be two more free to use.” She replied absently. The Blue Paladin led Slegirs out of the chamber and back into the hall. He was quiet for a while until they reached a different level. She hadn’t seen the chambers before but the hallways all looked the same to her.

“How do you navigate this place?” She asked as they stopped in front of a door. The Paladin shrugged.

“We’ve gotten used to it. Allura and Coran grew up here. Keith spent a year living here. We’ve spent...five or six months - uh phoebs I guess - here as well. You learn to get used to things when you go to the same four chambers every day.”

“So this is really a castle then?” Slegirs had thought Princess Allura was joking when she called it that but after seeing how large it was and extravagant inside, she knew it wasn’t a joke.

“This is the Castle of Lions. It’s ten thousand, six hundred years old. Coran’s grandfather built it on Altea and it was moved before Altea was destroyed. The yellow Lion brought my friends and me here from Earth. We met Allura and Coran after we arrived. In the search for the other Lions, I met Keith on a Galra battle cruiser. We’ve called this place home since.” Had that really been only months ago? Lance felt like it was a lifetime ago that he had been on Earth at the Garrison. He didn’t regret the choice to enter the Yellow Lion with the others, just like he hadn’t regretted saving Shiro from the Garrison doctors and driving into the desert on a stolen hover bike.

Doing all of that led to Lance meeting his soulmate. While they weren’t together, they talked a lot. Lance couldn’t deny he also enjoyed sleeping next to him. The dreams of his past life didn’t happen as often when he was with Keith.

“Don’t you miss your planet?” Slegirs regretted the question as soon as she asked it when she saw the Paladin flinch. She looked down and twisted her fingers against each other. “I miss my planet. Sulehis was taken over by the Galra a little over two decaphoebs ago. My family was killed and I was taken by Commander Prorok as a result of my rebelling against their control. Thace brought me to Lady Gilla and she got us out of there. I haven’t thought of home in so long. I thought the rebellion was my home but Lady Gilla wasn’t who I thought she was. I guess I have no home now.”

“For us, a quintant is a little longer than a day. A movement is similar to a week but has seven days. We’re still trying to do the math on how they all average out. That’s not the point. The point is, you may have lost your home but you can build a new one here, with us. Allura wouldn’t have brought you with us if she didn’t trust you. She could have left you in the storm but she insisted you come with us. And she doesn’t trust anyone easily. I’m pretty sure if it hadn’t been for the Lions trusting us, she wouldn’t.”

“But why? I was working with the woman who tried to trap you on an uninhabitable planet. If I hadn’t found Romelle, I would have let her do it too. Probably even helped her.” Slegirs felt her body fold into itself as she realized how close she was to letting the Paladins get trapped.

“But you didn’t. Without you, we wouldn’t have gotten out of the camp. You helped us when we needed it, with no expectation of us returning the favor. That’s why Allura trusts you. It also helps you’re not Galra.” The Paladin laughed at what Slegirs assumed was supposed to be a joke. She smiled at him and relaxed her muscles.

“You were supposed to be pulling your belongings back up here, correct? Allow me to help. It may help me get used to this Castle, ship? Castleship?” She wasn’t sure what to call the vessel they were in. “And uh... I’m terrible at remembering names so can you tell me yours again?”

“Sure, you can help. I’m Lance. I’ll try to help you remember everyone’s names but don’t hesitate to ask if you forget.” Lance decided he liked Slegirs as he walked her back to the pod bay. He could feel the wormhole jump coming and he pushed her against the nearest wall to brace her so she didn’t fall. He let her go as soon as they were out of the wormhole. She looked up at him curiously and maybe that was panic he saw in her eyes. He offered her a soft smile.

“Sorry, I remember my first wormhole jump. I fell and nearly smashed my face into the floor. There’s not really a warning but you learn to get a feel for the ship when it’s getting ready to make a jump.” He probably should have given her a warning rather than just brace her against the wall himself.

“It’s fine. Uh…how far are we from the bay?” Her voice shook. It shouldn’t have. The act was innocent. Lance hadn’t meant to scare or panic her. He was being a good friend - something she sorely lacked. She flushed as he flashed her another smile. She did not like the Blue Paladin. She had just met him a quintant ago. She hadn’t even liked him or his friends until maybe two vargas ago. She just...found his smile cute. That was it.

“A couple more hallways and we’ll be there. There are six bays in total. Five house a Lion each and this one is our pod bay. The closest Lion to this one would be Pidge’s - uh the Green Lion. Hunk’s, the Yellow Paladin, Lion is on the other side of the Castle but opposite of Red and Blue. Shiro’s, our Black Paladin, Lion is in the middle near the generator room I think. It’s hard to place them all in relation to the Castle unless you’re looking at a map.” Slegirs listened intently, determined to remember as much as she could about where everything was. They stopped in front of a door - the same door they had left through earlier but Slegirs thought all of the doors looked the same. Had no one thought to label them? “And here we are.”

The bay looked no different than it had when they arrived but somehow Slegirs noticed more. She could count twenty Altean pods along with the two Galran pods. The lights were brighter here. The path between the pods was wider than it appeared. No wonder they had all been able to walk comfortably. The bags with the Paladins’ belongings were still piled near the door that led outside. Lance led her over there and began picking up as many bags as he could. Slegirs did the same, with Lance telling her where each bag went and who it belonged to. The Blade of Marmora members didn’t have bags but if they had met shortly before arriving on Rocestal as Lance had suggested, it made sense.

They began the trip back to the level with the bed chambers as soon as they had picked up all of the bags. The first stop was the Black Paladin’s chamber. Lance knocked on the door before opening it and placing one of the bags gently on the bed. Slegirs gladly handed another to him to even the weight on her shoulders. She had more than the Paladin only because she picked the last one up first.

Next was the Red Paladin’s chamber. She had his bag but Lance was the one to figure out which one she needed to put in his chamber. She put the bag on his bed and tried not to pry at his decorations. If he had truly spent a year in the Castle, it made sense his room was more decorated than the Black Paladin’s had been. Maybe that was just the preference of the Paladin.

Lance’s chamber was next to Keith’s so he took his bag from her and tossed it into the room. From the flash of the interior she had seen, Slegirs had to assume the chambers were so bare because they hadn’t had the time to decorate. She shrugged it off as they moved to the next room. Lance said it was Hunk’s chamber - the Yellow Paladin she reminded herself. He put his bag in his room as delicately as she had Keith’s. As the door slid shut behind her, Slegirs tried to take some of the weight off of Lance’s shoulders as he still had three bags while she had shed the ones she had carried already. He brushed her off as he moved to the next room. Pidge. She remembered the Green Paladin’s name now. Lance seemed to take extra care in putting that bag down. The chamber was a mess with clothes and technology all over the place. How could anyone live like that?

“Great now we just have Allura and Coran’s bags left. They’re both around the corner.” Lance explained as the door to Pidge’s chamber slid shut. He led them to Coran’s chamber first and went in to put the bag down. Slegirs didn’t get the chance to see inside the chamber but she had no doubt it was decorated. Allura’s chamber was full of life. Pictures, jewelry, and beads were strewn across the dressers and wardrobe while still being tidy. Slegirs turned to Lance, question hot on her tongue.

“Why haven’t the rest of you decorated your chambers? I don’t mean to sound rude but if you live here shouldn’t your rooms be a reflection of who you are?” Slegirs remembered the chamber she shared with her sister on Sulehis. She and Ola had decorated the shared chamber with anything they had found that looked different, which was hard to find on an ice planet. Lance was quiet for a moment and Slegirs knew she had crossed a boundary she hadn’t been aware of.

“I’m sure if you saw any of our homes on Earth, you would see that kind of decoration. If we had known we were going to be brought into space by an alien warship, we probably would have actually packed stuff to take with us. But we didn’t know, not until we found the Yellow Lion and ended up on the Castle. We can’t go back now, not for something as trivial as belongings when the rest of the universe needs help. As it is, we haven’t really had the chance to look for anything to decorate with. I’m sure as time goes on, we will find things we like.” Lance really hadn’t thought about how barren his room was. In the week or so before they were sent to different areas of the universe, he had spent more time with Keith in his room or elsewhere in the Castle. In fact, he had only been in his own room to sleep, shower, and change clothes.

“I see…” Slegirs mostly lived in her ship so what few belongings she did have had been left on Rocestal. While fighting a war there had never been a need for comfort items. Still, she was surprised when others didn’t have those comfort items. Especially if, as Lance said, they hadn’t expected to be thrust into a war.

“How about I give you a tour of the Castle.” Slegirs smiled. Yeah, she could go for a tour.

Keith stepped back from the console as soon as the Castle left the wormhole. So much had happened in a few short vargas that he could feel the tension in his muscles. Everyone else had left the bridge already, leaving just him and Allura. He turned to her.

“I’m going to hit the training deck unless you need me for something else.” Keith hoped she didn’t need anything from him. He was itching to beat something up to release that tension.

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you if you don’t mind.” He suppressed a groan, his ears flattening against his head as he nodded. She paused. She and Coran had agreed to wait until Keith and Lance were ready but...they had been spending a lot of time together recently. Surely that meant something, right? “I’m not sure how to say this honestly. When we were on the Balmera, Coran gave me quintessence to help me heal the Balmera. He hadn’t told me until later that it was Lance’s quintessence.”

Allura was beating around the subject, Keith could tell. He sighed and took a seat in the nearest chair - Shiro’s chair to be exact. He wasn’t ready for this conversation. He wasn’t even sure this was a conversation he would ever want to have with Allura.

“I know what you’re about to say. Coran ran tests, discovered Lance’s quintessence is a mirror of Lancel’s. We already figured that out. Lance has the same soul mark as Lancel and I. It warmed when I touched it. He’s most likely Lancel’s reincarnation. More importantly, he’s my soulmate.” Allura was stunned into silence. The calculating gaze she held told him she was trying to let the information sink in. Lance had informed him of the conversation he’d had with Coran during the week after the Castle’s systems had been infected by Sendak’s crystal. Keith had initially been upset that Coran and Allura hadn’t come to him with the information sooner but he understood what they were thinking. They had been worried about how he would react. He understood that.

“Is that why you guys have been spending so much time together lately?” So, someone had noticed. Keith wasn’t trying to keep it a secret. He wasn’t ashamed of Lance in the slightest.

“I guess so. I mean, it’s not a conscious thing for us. We just...end up together no matter what’s going on.” Keith hadn’t really thought about the fact that he and Lance ended up together so much. It wasn’t like it was entirely intentional, it just happened a lot. He wasn’t complaining and he doubted Lance was bothered by it either. After all, they had spent the night with each other more times than Keith had expected them to.

“Let me ask you one more thing. You can decide to not answer but...do you love him? Like you loved Lancel?” That made Keith pause. No, he didn’t love Lance like he loved Lancel. He loved them both differently. Lancel had been adventurous, flirtatious, and so vibrant. He saw parts of Lancel in Lance but…they were different people. Lance was a boy far away from his home. He was scared of the changes that had happened to him so quickly but he hadn’t let it show to the others. He was being brave even when all he wanted to do was go home. Keith loved how honest he had been with him. From the start, Lance hadn’t led him on and was open with him. He was sure they had secrets neither told but that was to be expected. Regardless, he still loved Lance.

“No. Not entirely, at least. Lancel had been like a breath of fresh air I never wanted to give up. He was my first love. I had been prepared to spend the rest of my life with him and I would have been happy. Lance...I want to protect him. He helps me sleep at night. He knows he’s overwhelmed by the war but he doesn’t let that stop him. I hate to say it but Lancel would have wanted to just hide somewhere until it was over. He loved you and he loved me but he wouldn’t want us to fight for him. Lance wants to fight alongside us, even though I know he’s terrified. He’s trying to get better at the things that he’s weak to. If Lancel was a breath of fresh air, Lance is a cool drink of water on a hot day. I started falling for him even before I found out he was my soulmate; I just didn’t want to give up Lancel. And I’m not. Lancel will forever be my first love and holds a place in my heart. Lance does too, though. I love them each, for who they are.” Keith had struggled to separate Lance and Lancel at first but the more time he spent with Lance, the easier it got. Allura moved closer to him, tears in her eyes but he knew she wasn’t entirely sad. He saw the ghost of a smile on her lips, threatening to come through.

“I’m happy for you, I am. I know you miss Lancel and I know you haven’t forgotten him. Lance is my friend and I do care for him, just as I care for you. I don’t want to see either of you hurt. I’ll support you, both of you, in whatever relationship you partake in.” Keith offered her a soft smile as he pulled her into a hug.

“We haven’t made the decision to pursue a relationship. I want Lance to be the one to make the first move towards any sort of relationship. I don’t want to push him. Just because we’re soulmates and I love him; I don’t know if he feels the same.” They had spent a lot of time together but that didn’t mean they were on the same page emotionally. Allura tightened her grip around him. She was trying to reassure him. He knew that she was.

“He loves you the same way you love him. You don’t see the way he looks at you, but I do. One day, you two will be happy together.” Allura let him go and stood up straight again. “Don’t be afraid to talk to him, Keith.”

“I won’t. Thanks, Allura.” Keith stood up and left the room. He was still tense but not as tense as he had been. A good workout would help him relax completely.

Lance and Slegirs finished the tour at the infirmary where Coran was looking over scans produced by the healing pod. Now that there wasn’t a strong need to get Romelle into one of the pods Lance could get a good look at her. She looked an awful lot like Lady Gilla except her eye scales were a bright pink instead of the magenta-colored ones Lady Gill had. Her long blond hair was separated into two hair ties and half braided. Her skin was pale, which made sense with how much blood she had covering her dress.

“Krolia told me about the conversation pertaining to this young woman’s origin. From her scans, I can confirm she is of Altean descent. A pureblood Altean at that. I can’t say anything about her status as a royal, but given that she’s Altean, it is likely the story of an Altean colony is true.” Cora informed them as soon as they walked into the infirmary. “And I don’t believe we’ve had the privilege of meeting properly. I am Coran, chief mechanic and engineer here in the Castle of Lions. If you have any questions about the Castle or the Lions, you can ask me.”

“Slegirs.” She introduced, nodding at Coran. She hadn’t taken her eyes off of Romelle the entire time she spoke. “Will she be okay?”

“Ah, yes! Young Romelle should come out of the pod by the end of tomorrow’s night cycle and we can speak to her then. It is important to give her as much time to heal as she needs.” Coran looked away from the scans over to the woman in the pod. He had been worried over her health since the moment he put her in the pod. He wanted her to get better as he did with anyone who entered the healing pods but mostly, he wanted her to get better because he knew she could provide information they didn’t have.

Slegirs nodded at the reassurement. She wasn’t sure what time it was now, but she knew it had taken a good few vargas for Lance to show her around. They had left Rocestal late morning so that must have made it early evening if she did her math right.

“Well, nothing we can do until she wakes up. Do you think Hunk has started working on dinner yet?” Lance asked, shooing Coran and Slegirs out of the infirmary. Coran chuckled as he complied, placing the screen with Romelle’s scans down.

“Did you miss my goo that much?” Lance was the biggest complainer about the food goo but even he would happily eat it if he never had to eat whatever they had on Rocestal. “I believe he is. He dropped by about a varga ago to see how things were going with Young Romelle before heading to the kitchen.”

Lance laughed as Coran led the way to the dining chamber. For the first time since they had arrived at the Castle, Lance was looking forward to a meal. He was thankful the table was large enough to fit all of them, now that they had extra mouths to feed. No one would be excluded. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Edited 12/16/2020 for clarity


	12. Romelle

The Castle touched down on Olkarion early in the morning. Shiro, Krolia, Allura, and Coran were the only ones who were awake. Since there wasn’t an emergency, the four decided not to wake everyone else just yet. They suited up in their flight suits, or Paladin armor in Shiro’s case, and left the Castle to speak with Ryner and the other Olkari.

Ryner and a few of the Olkari were waiting for them as they walked out of the bay. In the short time they had been gone, the Olkari already finished rebuilding their city. The streets buzzed with activity as Ryner guided them through the city towards the center where their King had once been held. Some of the Olkari recognized Shiro as he passed them. He waved at them in return to their grateful cheers. They had torn down the old tower and rebuilt it. The tower than now occupied the space was as magnificent as it was tall. Shiro couldn’t even see the top as they approached.

“What can we do for the Paladins of Voltron?” Ryner asked, stopping in front of the building. Allura smiled at the woman.

Keith was hot when he woke up. Even though he was hot, the body pressed against him kept him from leaving. He buried his face in Lance’s hair and inhaled his scent. Even though he had inhaled the scent many times since he had met Lance but it still comforted him. If Lance hadn’t been there, he would have most likely woken up from nightmares multiple times throughout the night; Keith knew that. Nightmares in general were never pleasant but the subject his revolved around shot his anxiety up. Though Sendak was gone and he wouldn’t see him again, the fear of being back on his ship as his prisoner was ever-present. Sendak was the main subject of his nightmares. Lance somehow kept his nightmares low.

“You okay?” Lance’s voice was thick with sleep. Keith looked down to see deep blue eyes staring up at him. A soft smile tugged at his lips. How could someone be so beautiful doing absolutely nothing? All they had done was sleep, yet Keith felt like

“It’s nothing.” Keith was reluctant to tell Lance how he felt. Though Allura would support them if they pursued a relationship, Keith still felt he was better off waiting for Lance to make the first move. He didn’t need Lance to question why he slept better next to the Blue Paladin. Lance sat up, the blanket sliding down to his hips in the process. Against his will, Keith’s eyes traveled down the expanse of Lance’s chest and settled on the top of the soul mark peeking out from the hem of his pants. His own soul mark was on full display. Lance leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Keith’s soul mark. Keith nearly jumped at the contact.

“Lance?” Lance looked up at him through hooded eyes. Keith cursed under his breath. Why did Lance look so much like Lancel when he did that? It wasn’t fair. Lance didn’t move from his position.

“You were thinking about something. It’s not often you ask me to stay with you. Usually, it’s the other way around. You know I’ll listen to whatever you want to talk about.” Keith knew that. Lance had told him that nearly a phoeb ago. How was he supposed to tell Lance that he was attracted to him when he was still struggling to separate him from Lancel?

“I know. I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.” Lance pressed another kiss to Keith’s soul mark. Keith could only describe the fluttering in his stomach as a Ratonuhe buzzing around inside of him. It was the same feeling he had gotten when Lancel first kissed him.

“I understand.” That was one of the many things Keith loved about Lance. He never pushed him yet was always there whenever Keith needed him. He understood Keith’s reluctance to talk. “We should probably get up and see how far we are from Olkari.”

Though it had been his idea, Lance didn’t move right away. Keith pushed the blanket off of them completely. They were slow to part. Keith wasn’t ready to leave the comfort that came with being close to Lance. Lance seemed to be comfortable leaning against Keith’s chest. There had been a time when he had laid his head against Lancel’s chest just as Lance was doing now. A pang of guilt hit Keith hard. He tried not to think about Lancel while he was with Lance.

Finally, Lance pulled away and stretched his arms over his head. Keith averted his gaze entirely. He stood up to allow Lance to get up as well. He kept his back to Lance while he pulled out clean clothes.

“I’ll see you in the dining chamber,” Lance called out before he opened the door. Keith didn’t get the chance to reply as the door slid shut behind him. Briefly, he thought about emptying a drawer in his dresser to keep some of Lance’s clothes so he didn’t have to return to his own chamber every morning. Then again, that would defeat the purpose of having his own chamber. Maybe if they ever pursued a relationship, he could bring that up. Maybe.

Keith showered and dressed quickly. As he walked through his chamber, he could hear the shower in Lance’s chamber still going. He had wanted to wait for Lance before heading to the dining chamber but Lance seemed to be taking his time. Keith waited for a couple of dobashes before he continued on, meeting up with Pidge and Slegirs further down the hall. Together, they made their way to the dining chamber where Keith could smell food.

Internally, Lance was freaking out. What had possessed him to kiss Keith’s soul mark like that? Sure, he found himself slowly falling for the Galran Prince. He enjoyed his company, and he was willing to accept the fact that Keith still loved Lancel. The last thing he wanted to do was to push Keith into any sort of relationship while he was still mourning his previous soulmate. It was hard, though. Lance found himself becoming addicted to Keith. It wasn’t entirely a bad thing, but he knew it wasn’t healthy. Keith had gone through heavy trauma. Trauma he was still healing from.

Still, his own addiction led to Lance taking a longer shower than usual so he could collect his thoughts together. He’d seen the way Keith looked at his soul mark. His body craved the feeling of Keith’s fingers on his mark again. Maybe that was why he had decided to be bold and press kisses to Keith’s mark. He groaned. The expanse of skin Keith was definitely not afraid to show had stimulated desires he thought he had suppressed already. The sight alone had stirred Lance’s carnal desires. How could anyone’s chest look so good?

Lance shifted the water to cold in an attempt to get rid of his newest problem. He was not about to jerk off to thoughts of his soulmate. Not yet, at least.

Breakfast was louder than it usually was. Ulaz and Hunk were already in the dining chamber when Keith, Pidge, and Slegirs arrived. Hunk had already set the table for them; judging by how warm the food was, it hadn’t been brought out that long ago. Keith made sure to thank Hunk for cooking before he began eating, as he did before every meal.

“Where is everyone else?” Slegirs asked, looking around the table curiously. Across from her Hunk and Pidge were happily eating while discussing what they may need to get through the Quantum Abyss. Slegirs was directly next to Keith, with the chair to his left open for Lance.

“Lance is probably still sleeping,” Hunk replied, causing Pidge to let out a snicker. “Shiro, Krolia, Allura, and Coran left to speak to the leader of the Olkari, Ryner.”

“I wish they would’ve woken me up. I was looking forward to seeing Ryner again.” Pidge complained yet didn’t make any effort to eat any faster. Keith smiled softly. He knew that Pidge had formed some sort of friendship with the Olkari leader, especially since she was the reason they had figured out how to bond with the Green Lion.

“I’m sure we’ll be here for at least the rest of the quintant. There’s plenty of time to go see Ryner.” He commented just before the empty chair next to him was pulled back. Lance plopped down, mumbling good mornings to everyone. Keith nearly frowned. Lance hadn’t been that out of it when he left his chamber. Weren’t showers meant to wake people up?

“Have a rough night there, Lance?” Pidge was teasing, Keith knew they were teasing, yet he still worried. Had he missed something with Lance that he should have picked up on?

“Nah, just tired. Any news on how Romelle’s doing?” Lance redirected the conversation, prompting Ulaz to give them all an update on how she was doing. Keith knew it was only to keep Pidge from asking more questions. Keith would question him later; when there were fewer people around them. Lance was silent for the remainder of breakfast. No one seemed to notice his change in mood except for Keith.

The coalition was taking form rather quickly. Ryner offered her planet as a central base for the rebels to operate. Krolia reassured the Blade of Marmora would do everything they could to support the coalition and Voltron. Allura smiled. All they needed now were the rebels Slegirs told them about to help fill out their ranks. Coran retreated back to the Castle to check on Romelle after about a varga of conversation. Shiro had stayed with the women, adding in feedback and ideas the other three may have overlooked.

“We will happily accept anyone Voltron sends to us as part of the Coalition,” Ryner stated, a soft smile gracing her lips.

“We are awaiting contact from a spy the Blades have on Zarkon’s ship. Once that happens, hopefully we can start tracking down more of the rebels.” Allura hadn’t even thought about how she was going to convince any of the fighters to join their cause. It was clear that Voltron was still a legend to many. News of its return hadn’t spread as fast as Allura would have liked, which both helped and hindered their efforts.

The Galra as a whole didn’t seem to expect Voltron when they did show up, which made their missions easier to complete. Allura knew that Zarkon was aware of how dangerous Voltron was. She was surprised that he hadn’t ordered more of his commanders to capture the Lions. Or the Paladins for that matter. The Voltron Paladins were just as dangerous to his reign as the Lions were.

“Nothing ever happens when you rush them. We will take down the Emperor, we just have to be patient.” Shiro was instantly reminded of when they were searching for the Blue Lion and he repeatedly told Pidge and Lance that patience yields focus. He knew that hadn’t stuck with Pidge. They were far more anxious to find their family than even Shiro could understand. Lance had taken the words and only applied them to certain activities, like training or battles. Now, that phrase applied more than it ever had in Shiro’s life.

“Princess, Commander Thace has initiated contact with Slegirs.” Coran’s voice turned all attention back to Allura. Since her comms were connected to her earrings, everyone around her could hear what was said over the channel. Allura and Krolia stood up. Shiro was standing only a second after them.

“I apologize for cutting this so short. This is the contact we’ve been waiting for. Afterward, I will return, and we can continue this.” Ryner continued to smile at them, even as Allura bid her a temporary goodbye. Shiro followed the Princess and Krolia to the lift that would take them to the first level of the tower.

“There is no need to apologize. I completely understand.” Ryner insisted on walking them back to the Castle and followed them out. The walk back to the Castle wasn’t as long as Shiro had felt the walk to the tower had been. Maybe it was because now they didn’t have as many Olkari stopping them or thanking them. Krolia invited Ryner into the Castle to also speak with Commander Thace, or at least hear what he had to say, but Ryner rejected the invitation.

“It may be better if he isn’t overwhelmed with so many new faces at once. I’m sure I will meet him eventually.” Ryner turned and began walking away after she finished speaking. Allura led the way to the bridge, where almost all of the Paladins along with Ulaz and Slegirs were speaking to a man on the viewing screen. Allura didn’t want to interrupt to ask where Hunk was, so she slipped quietly next to Keith’s side where he was standing next to his chair. Krolia came to a stop next to Ulaz, who was standing in front of the group with Slegirs on his other side.

“I will send the coordinates in a coded message after we finish. Both rebels will have a code word they expect to be told when you arrive. I will send those as well.” Thace’s voice was a low hush as if he was worried about being overheard. Allura could understand the need for secrecy. If he was stationed on Zarkon’s ship, he would need to keep any information he gave them quiet.

“If you’re able to, it would benefit us all if you could send word to any rebel fighters you know of that Voltron is forming a coalition and we could use their help. Even just a few would be helpful.” Krolia spoke up, snapping the attention to her.

“I will do what I can. Unfortunately, I must go. Someone’s coming.” Thace cut the transmission before anyone could reply. Moments later, a coded message arrived. Pidge decoded it, revealing two codewords and two sets of coordinates.

“Thace confirmed that the coordinates he gave Slegirs would lead to a rebel fighter, and he offered us another contact. He sent both of them along with the codewords we’ll need to prove ourselves trustworthy. It looks like they’re both in different parts of the universe. The first that he had initially given Slegirs is in the Uvenia galaxy. The second is in the Eusebeia galaxy.” Pidge explained, pulling up the star map and pinpointing the locations.

“It would be best if we split up,” Shiro stated as he looked at the two locations. Allura agreed with him. She still wanted to make her way to the Altean Colony, but it would have to wait until they contacted the rebels.

“While I agree with you both, we should wait until Romelle is awake to hear what she has to say. It may change our course of action.” Krolia had been suspicious of the Pollux colony since she had first heard of it. She wouldn’t deny that she was curious to hear what the young Romelle had to say and why she had been held captive by Lady Gilla.

“You won’t have to wait long, hopefully. Young Romelle has exited the healing pod. She should be waking up any moment now.” All attention turned to the entrance to the bridge where Coran stood. Lance hadn’t even noticed when Coran entered the room. He had been silent.

“Excellent. If it’s alright, I would like to limit how many people are in the room when she wakes up. Slegirs, you saved her. Would you and Krolia like to accompany me to see her?” Slegirs looked like she wanted to argue against the idea. One look from Krolia had her agreeing with Allura. The three made their way off the bridge, following after Coran.

Lance looked over at Pidge. The Green Paladin was looking at the screen in front of them in deep concentration. Lance was used to seeing them like that only when they were trying to solve a problem. Shiro also seemed to notice the look and walked over to Pidge.

“What’s got you so deep in thought?” He asked, leaning down slightly to see the screen better. A frown settled on his lips as he saw whatever it was Pidge had been thinking about. He straightened up to look over at Ulaz. “Ulaz, do you know if there are any substantial places in the universe called Kerberos?”

Ulaz frowned in thought. The question itself made Lance also frown. He didn’t like what the question implied. “I can’t think of any besides the moon you and your friends were taken from in your system. Why?”

“One of the codewords is Kerberos. If there isn’t another place in the universe, then that leads me to believe it may be either Matt or Commander Holt.” Lance couldn’t see the emotions on Pidge’s face, but he had a feeling he knew what they were feeling. Pidge had been searching for their family from the moment they arrived at the Castle. He had been left alone on Sendak’s ship specifically because Pidge and Shiro went to look for the two missing members of the Holt Family.

“Maybe you and Shiro should be the ones to make contact with that rebel so you can find out if it is one of them.” Lance had nearly forgotten that Hunk and Lance had filled Keith in on the events that lead to them becoming the Paladins of Voltron. Of course Keith would be the one who suggested the two be reunited with the people they had lost. Lance knew he cared deeply about them, all of them including Lance and Hunk, and just wanted to see them all happy. It put a small smile on his lips.

“I agree. If you may know the person in question, it would also be easier to convince them to join the coalition.” Ulaz added, moving so he could stand next to the two Paladins.

“The other set of coordinates are further. If Keith and Lance went in the Red Lion it would make the trip a lot faster.” Pidge was looking directly at Lance as they spoke. The gremlin knew what they were doing. Lance narrowed his eyes at them but didn’t reject the idea. A trip with just Keith? He was more than okay with that.

“We’ll have to speak to Allura and Krolia first before we make any decisions.” Shiro was the voice of reason, to an extent. While he may have been the leader of Voltron, he was afraid of stepping on Allura’s toes. The woman didn’t take well to having her authority undermined. Lance figured that out before they had even left for the Balmera. Reluctantly, Pidge and Keith agreed with Shiro.

“I remember...I was on Lotor’s ship. He was supposed to be taking me to see my brother on the second Colony. I don’t know who it was but one of his generals knocked me out. The next thing I knew, I was on a different Galra ship. I thought that woman was saving me when she pulled me into a pod but...her friend took my blood and put me in a cell instead.” Romelle wasn’t sure she wanted to remember more. She remembered being excited to see her brother and scared to be on the Galra Commander’s ship. Prorok hadn’t harmed her but she knew her existence was meant to be a secret. The woman had made her feel safe when she helped her out of her cell and to the escape pod. Romelle had never piloted anything in her life but the dark-skinned woman insisted she would be fine. That coordinates were already entered into the pod’s autopilot and all she had to do was let her friend help her.

“Lady Gilla must have had a reason for taking you.” Krolia grew more suspicious as she heard Romelle speak. What reason did the so-called rebel leader have for holding the Polluxian Princess captive?

“That’s not her name. Her name was Ohnell. At least, that’s how she introduced herself to me. She had also been a captive on Commander Prorok’s ship. Apparently, she was building a resistance on a planet called Rocestal and I would have been safe there. I shouldn’t have trusted her.” Romelle curled in on herself as she remembered how Ohnell and Munzar sliced her skin open and caught her blood in vials and bowls. Romelle never knew what they did with it. She did know Munzar had regularly gone down to repeat the treatment. Slegirs, as she had introduced herself as soon as Romelle was fully awake, had been the first face Romelle saw since she arrived on Rocestal.

“Trusting her wasn’t your fault. She manipulated many to her side. She’s charming. Somehow, she was able to take your form. She didn’t use your name, but she looked just like you. That’s why I thought you were her when I found you.” Slegirs knelt in front of Romelle as she spoke. If anyone knew how charming Lady Gilla...or Ohnell as Romelle had called her…was it was Slegirs. “She did the same to me. Helped me escape Prorok’s ship and told me about a grand rebellion she was building. I joined her. A decaphoeb later, all we had accomplished was spreading the idea of the rebellion around with few members to fill the ranks and a lot of information gathered. If I had known then what I know now, I would have never joined her. But, if I hadn’t joined her I would have never found you and neither of us would be here.”

Slegirs had thought about her situation all night. A large part of her wanted to regret what she had done. She had been rude to the very people who had helped Romelle without a second thought. That was what she regretted, more than she regretted believing in Lady Gila’s word. Allura stepped forward, eyes cast down in deep thought. Slegirs and Romelle both look to her.

“Princess?” Coran asked, stepping forward to place a hand on her shoulder. Allura looked over to Romelle.

“You said she took your blood?” Allura had to agree that Slegirs had a point. The woman, whatever her true name was, had looked a lot like Romelle. That was what worried the Altean Princess. All attention snapped to Allura at the question. “In the old days, well before I was born at least, the druids used blood to alter their appearance. I remember my brother’s teacher offering to show him the ritual. Lancel refused because, as an Altean, he had no need for such a ritual.”

“Do you think that was what she used my blood for?” Romelle didn’t understand why anyone would want to parade as her. She was just a Princess from a hidden colony. Who even knew Pollux existed? In essence, she was nobody.

“It’s possible. If you were captured by the Galra, it’s likely they were going to send you straight to Zarkon. With her taking your identity, she saved you from that fate.” Allura still didn’t know why. That was the biggest mystery she couldn’t piece together.

“That doesn’t make her an ally. If she knows the druids’ rituals, it is likely she was either trained by one or is working with them. The druids don’t answer to Zarkon. They answer to Haggar, the high priestess of the druids. Anyone with druid training is dangerous.” Krolia spoke up, reminding Allura just how dangerous the druids were. She’d seen a lot from the druids growing up. At one point, she feared them. Though she wouldn’t admit it aloud, she was still afraid of them.

“Krolia is right. Those druids healed Keith and handed him straight to Zarkon after finding him. Even the druids who had been on my father’s side betrayed us at the start of the war. We can’t trust anyone trained by the druids.” Allura didn’t. She knew Keith didn’t either. Not after what they’d both seen. She put a light smile on her face as she returned her attention to Romelle.

“Come, let’s get you some food and clean clothes. We can figure out what to do next after that.”

The approaching footsteps were quieter than the typical Galra soldier. Thace immediately grew suspicious. Quickly, he deleted all traces of his contact with Slegirs and the Voltron Paladins. He hadn’t expected Ulaz and Krolia to be there. If he’d had more time, he would have liked to speak to the two as well as introduce himself to the Altean Princess. The information he had intended to relay to Slegirs had been forgotten once he had seen the inside of the Castle of Lions. If she contacted them and they trusted her enough to let her on their ship, something must have happened. Slegirs rarely went out of her way to meet people. In fact, other than Thace himself, he was sure that Slegirs had only met Rolo and Nyma.

He hadn’t trusted Lady Gilla from the second he had met her. His former Commander hadn’t given any sort of explanation as to why the woman had been captured in the first place. She had helped the captive Prorok had wanted to turn over to Zarkon escape before escaping with another captive only a phoeb later. Commander Prorok hadn’t been upset about losing three prisoners. His reaction made it easier for Thace to frame him as a traitor.

“Hiding something, Commander Thace?” Thace nearly jumped to attention hearing the voice of Commander Bralae. He turned to offer his attention to her only to be met with the woman leaning against the closed door with a smirk on her lips. He narrowed his eyes at her. Each of the commanders made him suspicious. Bralae was the most suspicious of them all to him.

“Why would I have anything to hide, Commander Bralae.” The woman walked across the room to the console he was standing in front of. Thace moved out of her way. He knew that she hadn’t been given the title of Commander simply because she was Zarkon’s daughter. Not knowing what the woman was thinking but knowing exactly what she could do made Thace nervous. He watched as she began looking through the systems as if she knew she would find something useful against him.

“Maybe because you’re a member of the Blade of Marmora.” Thace felt his face pale at the accusation. His mind halted to a stop. How was he supposed to refute something like that? If he admitted anything about the Blade, Bralae would know he was a member and if he pretended he didn’t know, she would still be suspicious.

“You don’t have to worry. I’m not going to out you to Haggar or any of the soldiers working on my ship.” Thace relaxed. He didn’t know how she knew about the Blade. Thace wasn’t about to question her. “If you do something for me.”

Thace remained silent as he stared at her. He definitely didn’t trust Commander Bralae. Why would he trust the very daughter of the Emperor he was fighting against. Then again, he had seen that Keith was a Paladin of Voltron. The eldest son of Zarkon was explicitly fighting against his own father. Maybe Bralae was fighting in her own way. “And that would be?”

“Well, two things actually. I want you to give a message to Kolivan for me. Tell him Ohnell is on Rocestal.” Ohnell. Thace had heard that name before. Kolivan had told him it was the name of a dangerous druid he had been searching for. One who worked for Haggar specifically. He narrowed his eyes at the information. “Second, I would like for you to find the whereabouts of my brothers. I worry for Keith’s health and safety. Lotor has been far too quiet recently.”

Thace frowned at the conviction he heard in her tone. He understood caring about family. The main reason he had taken up the dagger he now carried in resistance to Zarkon was for his soulmate. He was worried about losing the man he loved, even if their relationship was complicated. He made the decision to trust Bralae, at least with some information he had.

“Keith is with the Paladins of Voltron. Last I heard they were heading to Olkarion.” She didn’t need to know they were already on Olkarion or why they went there in the first place. Thace himself hadn’t even asked why they were on Olkarion - Ulaz had told him the exact reason they had landed on Olkarion.

Bralae was quiet. Thace didn’t expect an actual answer from her since he hadn’t given her more information than she expected so quickly. Even if she decided to pass that information on to her father or Haggar, they wouldn’t make it to Olkarion before the Paladins left to head to the coordinates he sent them.

“I see. Let me know if you find any information on Lotor.” As far as Thace was aware, and he admitted he didn’t know much, Bralae hadn’t been close to her younger brother. He couldn’t figure out why she would want to know where Lotor was or what he was doing.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Bralae left the chamber as Thace turned back to the console. He would have to contact Kolivan in order to find any trace of Lotor.

The Geyoat System was beautiful. Lotor had them hiding out there while he figured out where he wanted to go next. Without Voltron, he couldn’t retrieve the trans-reality comet that had appeared in a rift in the Eram galaxy. Without that comet, he couldn’t build the ships he desired. It irritated him. They had started gathering everything they needed for the ship, except for the scaultrite and the comet itself.

Acxa and Ezor were searching for any dead planets near them. If they could find a Weblem, they could gather the scaultrite needed to build the teleduv for the ships. Lotor, Narti, and Zethrid weren’t on the bridge with them. Ezor had told Acxa earlier in the day that she felt uncomfortable not knowing what Lotor’s plan was. Acxa agreed. The feeling was not brought up to Zethrid or Narti at all. Zethrid had only wanted to hurt people, and as much as Ezor loved her, she couldn’t maintain that sort of anger. Narti couldn’t speak to them, but Acxa knew she was loyal to Haggar.

Each of them had reasons to be there. Only Zethrid had willingly joined Lotor because she had believed in him. Ezor was only there for Zethrid. Narti and Acxa were both acting as spies for different parties. If not for her leader, Acxa wouldn’t even know about Narti being a spy.

Speaking of, her console lit up as a coded transmission came over the channel. She had opened the comm channel in the hope that she could get any sort of information as to what was going on with any sort of rebellion. Unfortunately, with Ezor in the room, Acxa couldn’t check the message. The comm was connected directly into her headset, but Ezor could easily connect to it as well.

“I’m going to check on the others. Will you be okay here?” To her credit, Acxa kept in character as she turned to the red-skinned general. Her lips were pulled into a frown to give off the impression that she wasn’t happy. They were supposed to be working on the search together and normally, Acxa would be upset about being left alone to complete it. This was a blessing in disguise.

“I’ll be fine. Hurry back, will you.” Acxa watched Ezor leave the room before she played the message sent to her. She frowned. She played it again. The message was clear but Acxa couldn’t understand.

What was he thinking?

_“So what’s your role on the team?”_ Slegirs’s words from the previous day echoed in his brain as he watched Hunk, Pidge, and Coran discuss what was needed to ready the Castle for the Quantum Abyss with Ryner. Keith, Allura, and Slegirs were showing Romelle around the Castle. Shiro was deep in discussion with Krolia and Ulaz. About what, Lance didn’t know. He didn’t ask.

He couldn’t put his feelings into words. Lance was the only one who wasn’t doing anything important. When was the last time the team had actually needed him? When he and Keith were trapped on the water planet? When he needed to find the Red and Blue Lions? That felt like so long ago now. Unless they were in battle, Lance just lounged around or hung around the others while they did their own tasks.

Once he realized everyone else was busy, he had made his way to the training deck. Had Keith not been busy, Lance would have asked him to spar with him. Instead, he had started working on the training simulations. Shiro and Keith were already on level six. Lance knew he should be able to keep up with them, at least more than he had been. He was still stuck on level three. Even Pidge and Hunk were on a higher level than him.

Being so emerged in training, Lance didn’t hear the door open. He continued to shoot at the training bots until one slipped passed him and hit him square in the chest. He groaned.

“Lance?” Keith’s voice surprised him, causing Lance to jump slightly. Keith walked closer to him, his footsteps now echoing in the chamber as the simulation ended. Lance remained still, kneeling on the floor and eyes closed.

“Hey,” Keith spoke gently this time. His hand lightly rested on Lance’s shoulder as he knelt down next to the Blue Paladin. “Are you okay?”

Lance wasn’t weak. He was capable of handling a few training bots. Keith knew that since they’d trained together before. Still, Lance felt weak. He couldn’t explain why or what was going through his mind. Lance leaned into Keith’s touch. Multiple times, Lance had told the Galra he could talk to him about whatever was on his mind. Yet, Lance couldn’t figure out how to talk to him. Or how to describe how he was feeling.

Everyone had a place on the team. Shiro was the leader and Allura helped guide them with what they needed to do. Hunk and Pidge were the smart ones who could help Coran with whatever he needed to keep the Castle running. Keith gave them intel on how the Empire operated and he was a damn good fighter. It wasn’t surprising since he had been a soldier under his father’s command. All Lance did was pilot the Blue Lion. Anyone could have done that. He couldn’t even put his own thoughts and feelings away while fighting the war.

“I’m not sure how to explain it.” Keith shifted so that he was sitting down behind him and pulled Lance into his chest. Lance relaxed with Keith’s’ arms circling his waist.

“Are you physically hurt?” Keith’s chest vibrated as he spoke. Even though his voice was soft, Lance felt like it was a bullhorn blowing in his ear. He shivered and shook his head. “Is this affecting your mental health?”

Lance had explained the importance of mental health to Keith after the first night they spent together. Part of him was surprised to hear Keith actually taking the information to heart and asking him about his own mental health rather than the other way around. He nodded, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes.

“I’ll be here whenever you’re ready to talk about it. I won’t push you to tell me what’s wrong.” Keith’s chin rested on Lance’s shoulder as he spoke. Lance knew Keith had his own problems - they’d talked about some of them already - but he couldn’t help wondering how he got so lucky to have Keith as a soulmate. A soft smile tugged at his lips at the thought and his soul mark warmed.

“Allura wants us on the Bridge.” Lance wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up. Keith was right behind him as they walked out of the chamber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the lateness of this update. I was out late last night and didn't get the chance to update before now.  
> I hope you enjoyed! Thank you for reading.
> 
> Edited 12/16/2020 for clarity


	13. Separated again

“Shiro, Pidge, you will go to the coordinates in the Uvenia Galaxy. If it is Pidge’s father or brother bring them back. If not, do your best to convince whoever it is to join us.” Allura was standing in the middle of the bridge with everyone who was leaving Olkarion around her. Honestly, the only people missing from the group were Coran and Ulaz. “Lance, Keith, the coordinates in the Eusebeia Galaxy are much farther. You’ll both go in the Red Lion to contact that rebel. Coran and Ulaz have agreed to stay here on Olkarion and help Ryner while the rest of us head to Pollux.”

This was the first time Lance had actually seen Romelle since she came out of the healing pod. He hadn’t been on the bridge when she had been brought there earlier. Shiro had been the one to mention the tour she was receiving at the time. Now, Lance could see how vibrant her eye scales were. A vibrant pink, much like Allura’s, but they almost faded into her pale skin. She looked paler than Pidge, but that could have been the lack of nutrients and loss of blood. Keith had also looked pale coming out of the pod when Lance first met him. Her long blonde hair, now clean and free of the dirt and blood that had coated it earlier, was pulled back into two ribbons. The style almost reminded Lance of the pigtails he used to put Rachel’s hair in. It was more elegant, with the braids twisting through her hair, than anything Lance had done for Rachel. Romelle no longer wore the torn dress she had arrived in. Instead, she wore one of Allura’s dresses, one Lance hadn’t seen her wear yet but knew it was hers from his dreams.

“Pidge and I will take the Green Lion since it still has the cloaking ability. Remember to keep in touch with each other and be careful. Taking only one Lion to each of the coordinates puts us all at risk. Remain vigilant.” Shiro looked around the chamber to each of the people remaining. Coran and Ulaz had left to reconvene with Ryner in the city long before they began the meeting.. A frown pulled at Lance’s lips as he thought about how large the risk was. If any of them ran into trouble, everyone else would be too far to come to their aid. With only one Lion, they couldn’t even back each other up. If Thace hadn’t insisted they hurry to meet with his contact before they moved on to new locations, Lance knew they would have gone together. It wasn’t favorable. It may not even be worth the risk. Still, if there was even a chance that one of them could be Pidge’s family, they had to take it.

“Return to Olkarion within a movement. If you’re going to be late for any reason contact Coran. If there is no warning, we will come searching for you.” It wasn’t meant to sound like a threat but that’s what Lance took it as. Allura moved to her console. She entered what he assumed were the coordinates. To him, it felt like she was indicating that she owned them simply because they were Paladins. He supposed in a way she did. “We all leave in a varga.”

Lance followed Shiro, Keith, and Pidge out of the chamber and down to their bedchambers. Now that they knew where they were going, they all needed to pack. A week wasn’t a long time but the trip for each of them was going to be stressful.

Allura was the last one to enter Red’s Hangar almost a varga later. Hunk and Shiro were helping Lance load the Red Lion with supplies while Pidge went over the route Keith would take to the coordinates in Uvenia. They had narrowed down the exact system the contact was in, the Chrepoph System, and Pidge had mapped out the best route to take. They had done the same thing with the coordinate they were headed to with Shiro. Allura and Coran had already mapped out the course through the Quantum Abyss earlier before he left.

“Paladins,” She started, interrupting all of them to draw their attention. Hunk stopped in his tracks as he went to retrieve the last box to be put in the Lion. Lance poked his head out from the cargo bay of the Red Lion while Shiro paused as he carried another box over to the Lion. Pidge and Keith looked over at her from the front paw of the Lion where they had been talking. Allura cleared her throat. This shouldn’t be hard. It wasn’t like they were going to be gone forever. It was only a movement. She’d spent longer on diplomatic envoys. “I wanted to wish you all luck on your journeys. I know you all will be alright and successful in your travels. I look forward to seeing you again in a movement.”

It was almost time to leave. Allura had already programmed the coordinates for the wormholes they would be using to get to their destinations. Everything and everyone was ready for the journeys. Yet, Allura didn’t want to say goodbye. She was afraid to let them leave. She hadn’t had the chance to say goodbye to her family. Keith had already been torn away from them once. She told herself it wasn’t going to happen again. Keith was in a better mindset than he had been when Lancel died. He wouldn’t just let someone kill him. Allura herself wasn’t sure how she would handle losing any of her newfound family. She shook herself of the thought. Her Paladins, her family, were strong. They’d all make it through this separation. It was only a movement.

“You be safe Allura. Let us know when you get to Pollux and we will do the same when we get to our own destinations.” Shiro spoke for all of them. He knew that each of them had anxiety about separating like they were. Pidge had channeled that anxiety into mapping out routes and researching the conditions they were headed into. Keith had looked over both the Red and Green Lions to make sure they would be able to handle the trips. Hunk had prepared and packed food for the four of them. He had even gone so far as to give Shiro and Lance instructions on how to heat the food up and keep it preserved, even though he had written them down and placed them on the packages. Shiro had talked to Krolia about any information she had on the areas they were going to, specifically the Galra movements around there. He and Pidge should be the only ones to encounter any Galra soldiers and with the cloaking on the Green Lion, it should be easy to slip past them.

Lance had...Shiro wasn’t actually sure what Lance had done but he knew the Blue Paladin had been busy during the last hour. The varga was almost up. Shiro shook his head at the thought of the time increment. He was still getting used to the time measurements in space compared to those used on Earth. Keith and Coran definitely helped him adjust.

Allura took a deep breath.

“Are you ready then?” By the time Allura launched off of the planet and opened the wormholes the varga would be up. There was no more time to prepare herself to leave her friends. Shiro nodded as he, Pidge, and Hunk left the Hangar. Lance closed the cargo bay door for the Red Lion and Keith headed for the mouth. She reached out to Keith to stop him.

“Keith, I...Take care of yourself. And Lance. He looked terrified earlier.” Allura hadn’t missed his expression when they mentioned they’d only be taking one Lion. He was anxious. Allura was as well. It may have been more than anxiety, but since he hadn’t argued, Allura wasn’t sure. Keith smiled a toothy grin at her. She knew he was just as worried, but he could conceal it better than her.

“Worry about getting to the Colony. I’ll worry about Lance and myself.” That came out harsher than Keith meant. His own nerves were slowly getting to him. Allura frowned at him. “What I mean is, you’ll be no good to the Colony if you’re worrying about us. Those people may need you more than we do. Lance and I will be fine. Just like Shiro and Pidge will be fine. You know as well as I do, the Lions wouldn’t have chosen any of us if we were incapable.”

“You’re right. Just...this is the first time we’ve separated like this since I sent the Paladins to find the Lions.” Allura let out an anxious sigh. Keith knew she was probably more nervous than the rest of them. He put a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention to another reassuring smile.

“We’ll see you in a movement. I promise nothing will happen to us.” Keith turned away from her and entered his Lion without her response. They could sit there and offer anxieties and reassurances for a full quintant and Allura would still be nervous about the missions. They didn’t have that kind of time. He couldn’t let her worries get to him. He would protect Lance, just as he knew Lance would protect him.

Lance was already in the cockpit when Keith entered. He had that look on his face. It was the same one he’d had earlier in the day when Keith found him in the training room. Keith wanted to ask him what he was thinking. Their earlier conversation flooded in his mind and he stopped himself.

“Are you ready?” He took a seat in his pilot’s seat and prepared himself for the journey. He felt the Castle lift off the ground only a dobash later. Even if they weren’t ready, it was time to leave.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Lance stood behind him. Even if he hadn’t been, Keith’s sensitive hearing would have picked up his mutter. He frowned. Something was definitely wrong with Lance that he wasn’t talking about. Still, it felt nice having Lance by his side for the journey.

Lotor had received a tip on a growing rebellion in the Hoshrin system. Acxa wasn’t sure how Haggar had heard the rumor or where the information came from, but she knew it was wrong. Kolivan had asked her to provide him her current location and the nearest system they could get to easily. If she had known he was going to do this, Acxa would have thought twice about sending the information.

As it was, Lotor was mapping his route to Hoshrin. Every scan he did for Romelle’s quintessence resulted in nothing. With the new lead, he had a new hope of finding her. Acxa hadn’t seen the Prince so worked up since he had received word she escaped Prorok’s ship. The intel Haggar had given seemed too good to be true. Lotor had been certain the witch was going to lead him straight to the woman he had been searching for from the moment she escaped Prorok’s ship. Acxa wasn’t about to tell the Prince the intel was wrong. Her goal was to keep Romelle off of Lotor’s radar until the Blades could return her to Pollux. Kolivan stressed the importance of her mission in his last transmission. What was Kolivan’s game?

Acxa walked past the prison cells while on her routine patrol. The crying and screaming she had grown accustomed to from Queen Orla was missing. Acxa frowned as she stopped in front of the cell. If she hadn’t spoken to Prince Lotor just before her patrol began, she would have thought the Queen was entertaining him. Peering into the cell through the small window, Acxa let out an audible gasp. She wasn’t sure when Queen Orla had gotten the metal fragment, but it was obvious she knew how to use it for her purpose. Acxa opened the cell door before she thought about calling for back up. Queen Orla didn’t fight back as Acxa pressed her hand against the wound on her wrist. Blood spilled through her fingers as she tried to stop the bleeding.

There was too much blood. Acxa could do nothing as she watched the life slip from the Queen’s eyes. She cursed, dropping the woman’s arm and standing up. Lotor would definitely not be happy about this turn of events.

The wormhole dropped them in the middle of the Uvenia Galaxy. According to Pidge’s scanners, they were in the Phuthi System. The constellations were unfamiliar to Shiro as the Green Lion landed on a moon to scan the area. Krolia had told them the Uvenia Galaxy had high Galra activity, but she couldn’t be certain where exactly it was centered. Pidge wanted to know what they were getting into before they activated the cloaking technology. The cloak only lasted so long and took longer to charge than Pidge felt comfortable with. The less they had to use it the better.

“It looks like there aren’t any Galra near us but there’s high activity on Suvoem. That’s exactly where the coordinates lead us.” Pidge looked up to Shiro for his advice. They weren’t the only one searching for their family. Shiro may not have mentioned it to them, but Pidge had seen his soul mark. They recognized it immediately. Shiro’s desire to find Matt was as strong as Pidge’s. Pidge hadn’t mentioned it to Shiro yet. They wanted him to tell them on his own terms.

“Let’s go in slowly. If we see even one Galra ship, we’ll cloak and observe. Sound good?” Pidge trusted Shiro’s judgment. With a nod, they did exactly as Shiro suggested.

The closer they got, the clearer it was to Pidge that something big was going down. The planet was being evacuated, at least that was what it looked like from the activity. People were moving crates and boxes from the building to ships stationed in front of it. Pidge urged his Lion to go faster. If these were the rebels Thace wanted them to meet, they needed to get there before they left. Pidge urged the Green Lion closer, going faster than originally intended.

“Hey, Keith.” Lance’s voice would have surprised Keith if he hadn’t been hyper-aware of the Paladin next to him. When the Red Lion flew out of the wormhole, Keith looked down at Lance who had been sitting against the wall of the cockpit to his left. Lance had been quiet since they had left the Castle and while it hadn’t been long yet, Keith was starting to worry. Lance had pulled out a protein bar that Hunk had made for them to snack on and was picking at it slowly.

“Yes?” Keith turned his attention back to the star map that was helping guide him through the Chrepoph system to Vorama, a moon of the fifth planet in the system. Pidge had told him that the moon was habitable whereas the planet itself wasn’t. Laorome was a gas giant but it acted as a radiating star to Vorama to allow life to thrive. The wormhole had dropped them at the far side of the system with four planets in between them and their target.

“Have you ever thought about what we all bring to the team?” Keith paused in his actions and shifted so he could better see Lance. The protein bar was only missing a small chunk off the top and hung loosely in Lance’s hand. Blue eyes were cast down to the floor and a frown tugged at Lance’s lips. So that was what Lance had been hung up on?

“Not really. We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t worthy of piloting the Lions. King Alfor once told Lancel and I that the Lions each have a different set of skills and traits they look for in a Paladin. I didn’t understand it at first but now I do. The Green Lion needs someone who is connected to both the nature and technology around them. Trigel, the previous Green Paladin, was from a race that was very similar to the Olkari. It’s probably why Pidge connected to their Lion better on Olkarion than anywhere else. Hunk is very much like Gyrgan, the former Yellow Paladin. The Yellow Lion looks for someone who can be true to their feelings but still be willing to fight for what’s right.”

Keith hadn’t spent a lot of time with the Green or Blue Paladins of old, but he had spent enough time on Rygnirath with Marmora and Bralae. What he did know is that for the most part, the personalities of the current Paladins, besides himself, mirrored those of the former Paladins.

“Shiro is as headstrong and reliable as a leader as the former Black Paladin. That’s about all they share but it is the important trait for the Black Lion. Blaytz was the former Blue Paladin. You’re a lot like him, you know? He used to try to make sure everyone was involved in activities and that no one was left out of the loop. He once tried to invite a Galra servant to a feast my father was hosting for the Paladins even though it wasn’t considered socially acceptable. I’ve seen you go out of your way to help everyone feel comfortable. You let others lean on you whenever needed but you struggle to lean on others. The Blue Lion chose you because of who you are, Lance.” Keith purposely left out the name of the former Black Paladin. He wasn’t ready to admit that his father had been a Paladin. Or that the man they were fighting against had once led the Paladins to battle.

“You left yourself out. What do you share with the former Red Paladin?” Keith frowned. What did he have in common with King Alfor? He didn’t want to admit it, but he could see the similarities between them. He had understood when Alfor had tried to kill him. That didn’t mean he had forgiven the man. No. Keith couldn’t forgive him for trying to end his life. He did understand, though. Keith had lost his soulmate but Alfor lost his son. One of his only two children had died by the hands of his soulmate’s father. If there was anyone who deserved their anger, it was Zarkon.

“The former Red Paladin was protective of those he cared about. He knew when his own leadership wasn’t enough for Voltron and gave it to the better leader. He supported the Black Paladin in any endeavor he needed to. I suppose that would be what we have in common.” Allura had more in common with her father than Keith did. “The point is, none of us would be here if we weren’t meant to. I’m sorry that all of you were brought into this war but the Lions believe in you. They believe in all of us. The moment we lose hope, the Lions will also lose hope in us.”

Lance’s lips were tilted into a visible smile. Good. Keith had been able to ease whatever he was worrying about. Keith smiled as well. There shouldn’t be the desperate need surging in his gut to kiss Lance right then. His smile made Keith’s stomach fluttered. Keith only turned back to the front console when it beeped with an alert. Lance looked up as Keith shifted to sit straight and pulled the alert up.

“There’s an asteroid belt up ahead. It’s too wide to safely travel around so we’ll have to go in.” Keith knew he could pilot the Red Lion through the belt with little difficulty. The Grizion Asteroid Belt had once been his training site when he was perfecting his piloting skills. Grizion was much tighter than this one appeared to be. He glanced down at Lance. “You ready?”

Lance nodded, wrapping the protein bar up and putting it down. He stood up to reposition himself behind Keith’s chair, gripping the headrest to steady himself. Keith gripped the handles before charging forward. This was the first hurdle to arriving on Vorama.

Matt paused as he picked up the last box. His sleeve had ridden up to display his soul mark. Ironically, he hadn’t realized until they had arrived that his soul mark was an exact image of Kerberos, only black instead of the greyish-blue the moon actually was. It had looked like an oddly shaped blob until Matt touched down on the surface of Kerberos. He frowned.

Commander Thace had asked him to stay in place until one of the Voltron Paladins contacted him but now the Galra were on to them. They knew it had been risky to set up a base on Suvoem. Te'Osh had been the biggest protester against the idea but Ozar had insisted. Now, they were compromised and had to leave before Matt could even send a message to Thace.

Part of him, a larger part than he would admit to anyone, wanted the Voltron Paladin heading to meet him to be Shiro. They didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to each other. He’d been away from Earth for almost a year and a half and he missed his family but at least he had been able to say goodbye to his mother and sister before leaving for Kerberos. He hadn’t gotten that chance with Shiro or his father. Te’Osh had been the one to save him from captivity before he was to be sent back to the arena, and he was thankful to her for that, but every time they switched locations he grew further from those he loved.

“Matt, we have no time. The sooner we evacuate, the less likely we will be to get caught. Come, we will contact the Blades later.” Ozar broke Matt out of his thoughts. He stood up straight and turned to Ozar. He followed the man out of the building to put the box on the ship. Surprisingly, most of the rebels were still standing around, looking up at something approaching the surface of the planet.

“What is that? The Galra couldn’t have found us already, could they?” Matt asked, setting the box down in the cargo hold of the ship. He turned to look at Te’Osh who had a pair of binoculars, at least that was what they reminded Matt of, aimed at the object.

“No...that’s a lion. It looks like the Green Voltron Lion.” Te’Osh lowered the binoculars. She turned to Matt and Ozar. “It looks like they made it just in time. We won’t have long to speak to them before we need to leave.”

The Lion touched down, but Matt couldn’t see who was inside. A ramp lowered from the open mouth and two people walked out. One was taller than the other but both wore colored armor. Matt stepped forward until he was next to Te’Osh. The Green Paladin broke out into a run towards him.

“Matt!” He knew that voice. It couldn’t be…

“Katie?” The closer the Paladin got to him the better his view of their face was. It was his sister. A smile broke out on his lips and he ran to hug her. “How did you find me?”

“Commander Thace sent us the coordinates. Shiro and I had a feeling it was you when the codeword was Kerberos.” Matt looked up to the Black Paladin who was still walking towards them. He had taken his helmet off to reveal that it was, in fact, Shiro. Matt looked back down at his sister.

“You guys barely made it here in time. We’re moving locations.” Katie let go of him and he straightened up. She removed her helmet, and Matt’s eyes bulged when he saw what she had done to her hair. Had she missed him that much that she felt the need to cut her hair to match his. Or at least what his used to look like? His had grown out to the top of his shoulders.

“We’ve been compromised. We have to set up a new base elsewhere and soon.” Te’Osh added as she turned her attention to Shiro, who had stopped just behind Katie.

“We’re in the process of setting up a central base for the rebellion on Olkarion in the Dal system. If you would like, the Olkari would welcome you all there.” Shiro had grabbed everyone’s attention as he spoke. Matt could see Te’Osh and Ozar thinking it over before Te’Osh nodded. It would make the most sense for them to take the Olkari up on the offer. Having Voltron on their side would make their war efforts easier.

“Will you accompany us?” Te’Osh asked sending Ozar over to the rebels who were still waiting for instructions. Everyone began loading into the two ships at his order. Shiro smiled at them.

“That was the plan when we came here. Unfortunately, we won’t have a wormhole to get back there but Pidge has the coordinates locked into the Green Lion.” Te’Osh nodded at the information. She turned to walk to the ship next to them.

“If it’s alright, I would like to ride with the Paladins,” Matt stated looking between Te’Osh, Shiro, and his sister. There was much they had to catch up on.

Working with Haggar was not what Bralae had expected to do in her lifetime. If there was a person she hated more than her father, it would be the witch. She was taking a risk by telling the witch where a supposed rebel was hiding out. Of course, the coordinates were fake, she had made sure of that when she spoke to Kolivan last. She knew Haggar would send someone there, and since Lotor was closest it made sense to send him. Haggar was nearly as good at manipulation as Bralae was. She watched the transmission between her youngest brother and the witch end abruptly. She knew that Lotor hadn’t seen her. She was out of his view and she’d remained silent during the entire conversation. She had seen the way his eyes lit up in excitement when Haggar mentioned Romelle’s name. The witch may not have known who she was, but Bralae did. She also knew how important she was to Lotor. She narrowed her eyes for a split second before smoothing her expression.

“I’m leaving the cruiser under Commander Thace’s supervision.” Bralae didn’t leave room for debate. Thace’s expression betrayed his confusion. Haggar’s face was still shrouded by hood of her cloak but her glowing yellow eyes told Bralae how little she was trusted. It was even less than Bralae trusted Lotor. She left the bridge to prepare a ship for her journey. Thace followed her to the pod bay. He was angry. She’d used him to get what she wanted, so Bralae could understand his anger. He may not know what she wanted to accomplish, but that didn’t matter.

“What were you thinking?” Thace had assumed Bralae was on his side, on the side of the Blades of Marmora since she knew about them. Her actions indicated otherwise. She turned and smirked at him.

“I’m thinking that I want to see my baby brother. We had to make it seem real, otherwise Lotor will lose trust in Haggar and Haggar will suspect me. Kolivan knows what I’m doing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a brother to meet.” Her words shocked him. He watched her with suspicious eyes as she loaded the ship with supplies.

“Why would Kolivan even help you if you’re not a Blade member?” Bralae laughed, keeping her back to him as she worked.

“Why wouldn’t he? I’m not an active member but I am the one who created the Blade of Marmora in the first place. Technically, my word outweighs his. I allow him to operate how he wants but if I have a need for anything he can’t say no. None of you can.” Bralae knew that wasn’t true. She had to prove to Kolivan who she was even if he knew of her connection to the Blades. Kolivan took over the organization long after she had passed leadership to Gartenna nearly two hundred decaphoebs ago. He wasn’t going to give her leadership back until she proved her loyalty. She didn’t want leadership. She only wanted the members to do what she said so she could get her way.

“Kolivan would have told us about you if you’re the so-called founder. He hasn’t said a word about you to any of us.” Thace was even more suspicious of her now. He knew who she was, or at least who she wanted the Empire to believe she was, but not why she was doing any of this. Was she working with the druids? Was she completely loyal to her father? Or was she truly the founder of the Blade. “You compromised a rebel for nothing more than personal desire.”

“Why would he? If Gartenna even told him about me, the rest of you wouldn’t have believed it. As far as the Empire is aware, I’m loyal to my father. That’s how it will remain. If you breathe a word of this to anyone Commander, I’ll have your blade on my wall and your head on a silver platter to my father as a traitor.” She climbed into the cockpit of the ship. Though she threatened him, Bralae was worried that she had done exactly as he said. “I hope for your sake my brother doesn’t find the rebel before the Paladins. We didn’t give him the exact coordinates, or even the planet he is on. I hope your trust in the Paladins is worth it.”

Thace frowned as he watched the commander finish her preparations. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking or what game she was playing to. Bralae was as much a closed book as Haggar was. Both women were working towards goals that differed from the Emperor. What those goals were, Thace couldn’t figure out.

Matt was entranced by the interior of the of the Green Lion. None of the ships the rebellion had were this incredible. The cockpit was more spacious than it looked and could easily fit himself, Shiro, and Katie standing behind the seat. He couldn’t understand what the controls did or what any of the labels said, so the fact that Katie had figured it out – or all of them had since as far as he knew each of the Paladins were human – was impressive. Matt was still learning how to understand the Galran language. This didn’t even looked Galra. Matt had so many questions.

Time in the Quantum Abyss flowed differently than it did in the rest of the universe. It had already felt like three vargas, but the clock indicated it had only been half a varga at most. When Coran had told her how long it would take to get through the Quantum Abyss, he hadn’t counted for the possibility of time moving faster there. She supposed that would work in their favor, but at the moment, all it was doing was confusing her.

“So like...we can think an entire movement has passed but it may only be a couple of quintants?” Hunk had grasped their measurement of time much faster than the rest of the Paladins had. For that, Allura was thankful. Of the five of them, Krolia was the calmest. Romelle had been the only one who had ventured into the Abyss before, but Krolia’s training from the Blade helped her remain calm.

“It’ll make the journey feel longer but we will get there. It takes two and a half quintants to go through the Abyss, so maybe a movement while in the Abyss, then it’ll take another two and a half quintants to return. That gives us two quintants on Pollux to speak with Romelle’s parents and decide what we’re going to do from there.” Krolia sounded like a much calmer version of Coran as she explained their current predicament. Allura turned to look at Romelle. She’d been quiet ever since Allura and Slegirs told her they would be going to Pollux. Allura could understand her silence.

There was much that had been revealed by Romelle that Allura hadn’t had the time to think over. Such as Lotor being alive still. The very Lotor who was Keith’s younger brother and had been born just before the war began. She didn’t know his relation to the Colony or if he was working for his father. For that reason, she hadn’t told Keith that Lotor was alive. While she knew that Keith disliked his father, but she couldn’t say how he felt about his youngest sibling. It could be as detrimental to his mental healing as seeing his father would be. Or he could want to reconnect with Lotor as one of the last remaining members of his family. Either way, Allura wouldn’t know until she mentioned it.

The view out of the window reminded Romelle of her very short time on Lotor’s ship. She hadn’t told them about her father’s suspicions of Lotor or how no one on the second Colony had contacted them even when they promised. It was for that reason she had insisted on Lotor taking her to the second Colony. So she could see for herself that everyone was alright and bring that back to her father. Maybe she could have collected letters to pass on to those who remained in Pollux. Instead, someone on Lotor’s ship had knocked her out and sent her to Commander Prorok. A shiver threatened to run down her spine as she thought about that terrifying day.

Romelle missed her family. She was excited to see them again even if she worried about their reactions. Had Lotor told them she had gone missing? Would her parents recognize her? Her hair was longer now than it had been when she left. Her once blue eye scales had turned pink sometime after she had first met Ohnell. Her eyes were darker now, a deep purple rather than the light magenta they had been. Little things that had changed, but Romelle knew her parents would be suspicious.

“Romelle?” The suddenness of the voice caused Romelle to jump. She turned her head to look at the Yellow Paladin, who had approached her quietly. His expression held a mixture of concern and nervousness as he twisted his fingers against each other. She looked at him blankly, waiting for him to continue.

Until she had woken up in the castle, Romelle had never seen anything or anyone like the four human Paladins. They looked so similar to Alteans except for the key features Romelle had grown used to seeing. They lacked eye scales and their ears were rounded instead of pointed. Their names were strange too. Who named their child Pidge or Hunk? Romelle certainly didn’t understand the logic. She also found it hard to understand many of their phrases. 

“Yes?” She asked when Hunk didn’t continue. He was definitely nervous as he jumped at the sound of her voice. She spoke softly, so as not to disturb the other three women around them. Krolia was speaking with Slegirs over by the main console. Allura was sitting in the Red Paladin’s chair deep in thought. Romelle could only imagine what the elder Princess was thinking about. Romelle herself had taken the Black Paladin’s chair as she stared out the viewing window. Her knees were pulled up against her chest and she had rested her chin on top of them.

“I wanted to see how you were doing. If you’re hungry, I can whip something up. Or get you a drink or...” Hunk stopped and took a deep breath. He had spoken so fast Romelle barely heard any of it. She felt a giggle bubble up as she realized just how nervous he was. That seemed to catch his attention and he calmed down some. “How are you doing? I know all this must be a shock and confusing.”

Silence followed his question as Romelle thought over her answer. This was unlike anything she had ever expected to happen. Lotor had told her people that they were the last Alteans. He never mentioned that the former Princess was still alive. Well, Allura was still the Princess of Altea, even if Altea didn’t exist. Regardless, Romelle hadn’t been prepared for the possibility of meeting an Altean outside of the Colony. If Allura and Coran hadn’t told her who they were and given her details of the beginning of the war she would have assumed they were from the second Colony. The fact that Keith could back up the details they gave with details of his own spoke volumes.

“I’m not sure what to think. All my life, I had been told stories of the fall of Altea. We were told that the people who were still on the planet when Zarkon touched down had died, including the royal family. To most of us, those stories are nothing more than myths. Allura, Alfor, Zarkon, they are all just characters in legends meant to scare children into behaving.” Romelle remembered the first time she had heard the legend of the birth of Pollux. Her great-grandfather had told her of how his father had fled Altea just as the war was beginning. How he had been approached by Lotor and convinced to start up the Colony. At the time, she had thought it was just a story. It couldn’t be true, could it? Alfor had never existed; Zarkon was nothing more than a character imagined up by parents to scare their children. She had been wrong when she had been taken by the Galra. “When I met Commander Prorok, he told me I was going to be sent to Zarkon. That was when I realized the stories were real. I never expected to meet anyone from those stories, however. I can’t say how my family and people will react.”

Hunk listened to her speak in silence. He understood how she felt. Most of the Paladins would understand. A few months ago, the thought of aliens was nothing more than that, a thought. It wasn’t confirmed or disproven as a theory. The government may have had knowledge of the alien races just outside of their solar system, but the general public sure didn’t. Hunk hadn’t necessarily been shocked when he met Princess Allura and Coran.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to put all of that on you.” Romelle still hadn’t looked at him, but Hunk shook his head anyway. He had been the one to ask if she was doing alright. It wasn’t like she had dumped anything on him he hadn’t asked for.

“There’s no need to apologize. It’s healthy to talk about the things you’re worried about.” Hunk turned to walk away. He still had another Princess to check on. While Allura hadn’t been as quiet as Romelle had been, Hunk knew she was deep in thought as well. He paused mid step and turned his head back to Romelle. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you thought!  
> Hope you enjoyed :)
> 
> Edited 12/16/2020 for clarity


	14. Lotor

Something was wrong. The coordinates given to Haggar were supposed to be fake. Kolivan had assured her they were fake. Bralae hadn’t wanted to put any of the rebels in danger. That wasn’t the point of her plan. The rebel wasn’t supposed to be on the moon. She wasn’t even supposed to be in this system. Kolivan had told her she was in a completely different system in Eusebeia. Either he had been wrong or he lied to her. She didn’t know what to believe.

She had been the first one to touch down on Vorama. Closer to the Hoshrin star, there was heavy Galra activity, but the ships couldn’t be seen from the moon she was on. That didn’t mean the rebel wouldn’t pick up the scans of their activity on Prine. Her own scans were picking up Lotor’s ship approaching. She needed to get the rebel out of the system before Lotor arrived.

Bralae left her ship and moved closer to where the rebel was working. She looked like she was loading her ship up. Good. Maybe that meant that either Kolivan or Thace had alerted her already. Olia pulled a gun on Bralae as soon as she noticed the Galra. Arms up, Bralae stopped in her tracks. On her hip was the blade she had carved with the insignia of the Blade of Marmora. The blade had once belonged to her soulmate. Bralae used it to spark the Galra resistance. Now, she made sure it was visible to the rebel so she could see that she was friendly.

“I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to warn you that a Galra fleet is on its way through now. There’s Galra over on Prine as we speak and another ship heading there from the other side of the system. It isn’t safe for you to remain here.” Bralae spoke quickly but remained still. She didn’t want to undermine the hard work the Blade had done to get the rebels to trust them by stating Olia had been compromised. She also didn’t want to alert her by saying Lotor was the one on his way to her location. It hadn’t been Thace’s fault. It hadn’t even been Kolivan’s fault even though he had told her the coordinates were false. The only person to blame was her. It had been her idea to visit Lotor in the first place.

“You are not a Paladin of Voltron.” It wasn’t a question. Olia was giving her a critical look. She was trying to determine if Bralae was a threat to her or not.

“I am not. I am a member of the Blade of Marmora. The Paladins are on their way as well, but it isn’t safe to meet here.” Bralae pulled the blade from its holster and showed her the insignia. Olia relaxed more when she saw the blade and she lowered her weapon. “You need to get out of here fast.”

The journey to the outside of the Phuthi System was a quick one. Maybe an hour at most. Matt had spent most, if not all of, that hour gushing over the mechanics of the Green Lion. Pidge had done the same thing when they arrived back at the Castle of Lions after they had first found the Lion. Shiro watched, adoration in his expression, as Matt looked over every surface and screen of the Green Lion. Pidge had already begun the journey while their brother looked around. He had done this before they took off and hadn’t stopped yet. It amused Shiro.

Unfortunately, Phuthi was on the opposite side of the Uvenia Galaxy than where they needed to go. That would take much longer. They would still make it back to Olkari within a week, so at least they didn’t have to contact Coran. Or at least, they wouldn’t have to tell Coran they were going to be late. They decided as they left the Phuthi System and entered the Etoros System that they should warn Coran and Ryner about the rebels they were bringing back.

“I can’t believe my sister is a Voltron Paladin. How did you even get out here?” Matt had calmed down. Somewhat. He was still practically vibrating with excitement. Shiro saw the Green Paladin flinch slightly. Of course Matt wouldn’t know their preferred pronouns. Shiro put his hand on Matt’s shoulder, fully prepared to intervene when Pidge laughed awkwardly and turned the chair to look at their brother.

“A giant yellow mechanical lion kidnapped us and took us through a wormhole where we met an ancient princess and her advisor who sent us to find the other lions.” Matt laughed at how casually Pidge told the story. It was a very simplified version of what had happened. He knew that.

“You forgot the part about Lance rescuing our Red Paladin from the Galra when he went to look for the Blue Lion. Or when Lance threw me in a volcano because he thought the Red Lion told him to.” Yeah, Shiro still hadn’t let that go. Pidge nodded in agreement.

“We have a lot of stories we could tell. But first, there’s something I need to tell you Matt.” This was a lot easier with the Paladins than it felt now. Pidge had told them self that it didn’t matter that much if the Paladins thought differently about them. Except for maybe Shiro. But Matt was their brother. They had always looked up to Matt, and their father, and Shiro. Pidge couldn’t bear the thought of Matt not being able to understand them.

“Of course, Katie. You can tell me anything.” Matt’s expression lost its excitement as it turned serious. Pidge had never been nervous to tell him anything before. It must be something huge for her to this nervous.

Pidge took a deep breath for courage before diving into the nature of their gender. They told Matt about sneaking into the Garrison as a boy and being confused on how to identify them self. They told him about meeting the Olkari on Olkarion and connecting with their Lion. That moment had given them clarity to realize why they felt uncomfortable being referred to as either gender. Matt took it all in stride. Shiro answered the questions he wanted to ask before he could even ask them.

“Okay.” That was all he said by the time Pidge finished. Pidge blinked blankly at him.

“That’s it?” Pidge sounded unsure.

“You’re my sis-sibling. You’re my younger sibling and I love you. It doesn’t matter to me what gender you want to identify as so long as you’re still here with me. It may take me a while to get used to it, but I promise I’ll do my best.” Pidge jumped out of their chair and hugged their brother. Shiro watched the siblings hug with a smile. Had he known Pidge was worried about telling Matt, he would have reassured them earlier.

“Tell me about the other Paladins. And the other Lions. Are all of them as cool as this one? Oh, and I want to hear about this Castle of Lions.” Matt’s excitement returned as soon as Pidge let him go. Shiro chuckled while Pidge returned to their seat.

“Where should we start?” Shiro asked, leaning against the wall of the Lion. Their conversation had lasted as they flew through the current system and into the next. It really would take them three days to get back to Olkari at this rate.

“The Paladins? Or the Lions? Or both if you want?” Pidge laughed and turned back to the viewing window. The alert was popping up to tell them an asteroid belt was ahead of them. The did their best to map out a new route, so the ships behind them didn’t have to try and fly through the belt. It didn’t take long, thankfully, and they were able to alter their course with ease.

“Well, Pidge is the Green Paladin, obviously. Green is connected to nature. I’m the Black Paladin. The Black Lion is the only Lion with wings.” Shiro and Matt both took seats behind the pilot’s seat. Shiro did most of the talking. Matt only stopped him to ask questions or get clarification. Pidge chimed in every so often, if only to help with descriptions and clarifications. Matt had been surprised to hear that Keith was Galra and that he was over ten thousand years old. He had even been surprised to hear how they met Allura and Coran. If he held any prejudice against Keith for what his race had done, Matt didn’t show it. It was another reason Shiro loved Matt. 

“Lance, wake up.” Lance had fallen asleep a couple of vargas ago, but now Vorama was ahead of them and Keith needed Lance awake to help him face whatever was waiting for them on the moon. His scans were showing up several lifeforms, all of them Galra. Commander Thace hadn’t told them their contact was Galra, but Keith knew it was possible.

“Are we there already?” Lance’s voice was laced with sleep. Keith glanced down at him to see him rubbing his eye with the back of his hand and felt himself smile. He turned back around to the viewing window.

“Yeah. I’m going to touch down behind some rocks. The scanners are picking up Galra signatures on the surface.” Lance perked up at the information, standing up and shifting so he could see over Keith’s shoulder. Keith’s ears flickered slightly as Lance leaned over to get a better look.

“Should we abort the mission? Thace would have told us if the rebel was Galra, wouldn’t he?” Keith frowned. He had thought the same thing when he first picked up the signatures. Not only that, but there was more than one signature down there. That concerned him more than he admitted.

“No. Let’s go see who it is. If the Galra down there aren’t the rebel we’re looking for we’ll get out of there. Red is fast enough to get away before they can get to us.” At least, Keith hoped it would work out that way. He knew how ruthless the Galra could be. He’d spent the last ten thousand decaphoebs as their prisoner. He knew better than any of the Paladins. But he had promised Lance he would keep him safe and he would do so. Even if Lance piloted the Red Lion away without him.

“Alright, let’s find out who’s down there.” Lance was nervous. Keith could tell he was by his voice but there was no going back. He pushed the handles up slowly, easing the Red Lion down to the surface of the moon.

He landed behind the largest rocks he could find. They were far away enough from the signatures that the landing wouldn’t be detected but close enough that if they had to flee they could do so easily. He glanced over at Lance as they both exited the Lion. Lance nodded at him and Keith took the lead as they slowly walked over to the ship nearest to them.

It didn’t look like a Galra ship, but Keith knew that some Galra used the old Altean ships they could find to promote a false sense of hope for the people they conquered. It disgusted Keith when he’d heard it. Especially when Krolia had told him that there was an Altean pod stuck in what she thought was a corrupted wormhole. Many Galra had tried to pull it out so they could repair and use it but nothing worked. Keith wished he had asked where it was. It didn’t matter now.

“Wait,” Keith paused as the door to the ship opened and someone walked out. Lance stopped behind him but didn’t question. They were too close now for the man to not see them. Keith had only ever seen his younger brother when Lotor was just a baby, before the war began and long before he had been taken prisoner by their father. However, Keith recognized the general description of his brother and frowned. He was definitely not the rebel they were looking for.

“We need to go back. That’s not the rebel.” He didn’t turn to look at Lance as he addressed him again, instead keeping his eyes on the man in front of him. Lotor had spotted them. Another person left the ship and Keith nearly growled.

“Lance, go back to the Lion. Now. Get back to the others.” Keith turned and pushed Lance back towards the Lion. Acxa had been a prisoner on Sendak’s ship for two decaphoebs or so alongside him before she was moved. She was only half-Galra and because of that, his father had ordered her executed. Now she was working with his brother.

“We’re going back together Keith. I told you before I won’t leave you.” Lance grabbed his hand to pull him along. A shot rang out and Lance let go of his hand as he fell to the ground. Keith looked up to see another person standing behind them with a blaster in her hands.

“You weren’t planning on running away, were you dear brother?” Lotor’s voice send shivers down Keith’s spine but he did his best to suppress them. Keith turned to look at the taller man, his eyes narrowed in anger and suspicion. “Your rebel friend has already left. Gone before I even landed.”

“Then we’re leaving. We have other things to do than sit here and entertain you.” Keith leaned down to pick up Lance, but he no longer laid on the ground. The woman who had shot him held him in her arms, a sadistic smirk on her lips. He turned back to Lotor.

“You may leave, so long as you do what I request of you. Until I get what I want, your friend here is going to be in my possession.” Keith glared at his brother. “Oh, don’t give me that look. It’s not like I’m about to turn him over to father. Besides, I have someone here you would like to see.”

A woman was brought out in full armor, helmet included, and her hands were pulled behind her back. The person behind her was another half-Galra. Keith narrowed his eyes as the helmet was taken off. Her eyes were blindfolded but Keith didn’t need to see her eyes to recognize his own sister.

“Bralae?” The orange-red woman pulled the blindfold off. Bralae stared at Keith in shock for a split second before turning her attention to the woman behind him with him. The woman was still holding an unconscious Lance.

“What’s the meaning of this Lotor?” She turned to Lotor with a frown on her lips.

“Whatever do you mean dear sister? I’m making a deal with our brother here.” A growl bubbled in Keith’s chest at Lotor’s smirk. He swallowed it before it could come out, but his glare remained trained on his younger brother. There was no saying what Lotor had in mind as a deal but he didn’t like the look on his brother’s face.

“Keith’s smarter than that Lotor. He won’t do what you want just because of some kid.” Bralae spit the words out as Keith’s heart sunk. He would. Both of them knew that he would do anything he could for his friends. More importantly, and what Bralae and Lotor didn’t know, was that he would do anything he could for his soulmate. Even if it meant sacrificing the rest of the universe.

“Of course he wouldn’t. He would do what I asked if I threatened you. Or that special princess of his. Allura, was it? I’m sure if Keith doesn’t do what I ask I can find her and bring her straight to our father. You know he’s been searching everywhere for the Altean princess so he could kill her like he intended ten thousand decaphoebs ago.” Keith did let a growl out at that. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t have done what Lotor wanted when he was only threatening Lance, but now that he had thrown Allura into the mix, Keith was definitely going to do whatever it took.

“And what is it you want, Lotor?” Keith didn’t trust Lotor with his life. He especially didn’t trust Lotor with Lance or Allura’s lives. He knew, unfortunately, that he had no choice but to put his trust in Lotor’s word. At least as much as he could without endangering his friends.

“That’s more like it.” Lotor’s smirk never left his lips as he explained to Keith exactly what he needed.

Pollux was amazing. Simply put, Allura hadn’t expected to see any place that reminded her of Altea. The Castle landed just on the edge of a small field of Juniberry flowers. Allura didn’t believe she would ever see Altea’s native flower again. The air smelled sweet and Allura was instantly reminded of home. She hadn’t been on Altea since she lost her brother but she hadn’t smelled a Juniberry flower since at least a phoeb before that. Allura felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

“Your people were able to keep the Juniberry alive. I thought they had all died when Altea was destroyed.” She leaned down to pick one of the flowers and smelled it. She saw Krolia and Hunk do the same. Slegirs hung back by the Castle alongside Romelle. Allura wiped the tears from her eyes.

“My father once said the original flowers were planted in remembrance of a meadow that once was on Altea.” Romelle replied, taking a step forward. She looked at the flowers with a gentle smile. “Many of the Alteans I grew up with don’t realize the importance of them but I’ve heard the stories of the grand festivals Altea held in honor of the flower. My father makes sure the field is healthy as a tribute to those lost on Altea.”

Allura nodded, remembering how extravagant the festivals used to be. It was at the last festival her people held that her brother had told her that Keith was his soulmate. She had never seen her brother as happy as he had been when he told Allura that news. They had been getting ready for that decaphoeb’s festival when Zarkon announced the war.

“They used to be amazing. People from all over the system would come to Altea to experience everything the Juniberry could provide.” Maybe, one day when the war was over, they could hold another festival for all to enjoy. Allura turned to look at the four people she had arrived with. “Shall we go see your parents, Romelle?”

Romelle had been excited to see her family again but now that she was there she didn’t even know what to say to them. She had wondered if her parents knew that she had been taken captive by the Galra. If they did know that she hadn’t been to the second colony, what would they say now that she was back. If they didn’t, they would ask about Bandor and that would just lead to Romelle having to break the news of her capture to them. The longer she dwelled on it the more anxious she felt.

“Yes, let’s go. The city is this way.” Romelle turned to the left of the field. They had landed farther outside of the city than Romelle had expected but maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. No one would come to investigate them before they were ready. Then again since they were already walking towards the first few homes along the outskirts of the city.

“Any idea what you’re going to tell your parents?” Krolia had been considerate of Romelle’s feelings, as much as Hunk had been, as they journeyed through the Quantum Abyss. Allura had asked so many questions about the colony and her family. Romelle hadn’t minded telling her about the colony but it made her homesick. Now that she was here, she couldn’t wait to show Allura everything they had talked about. First, she needed to speak to her parents.

“The truth. I’ll see what they know first then I’ll tell them what happened.” There was nothing else Romelle could do. Now that she wasn’t under Lotor’s influence, Romelle realized that it had been one of his generals who had knocked her out and brought her to Commander Prorok. The man she had trusted with her life had betrayed her. It made her question how honest he had been when he told her people he was there to help them.

Romelle thought she had loved Lotor. Her soul mark was an orangish-yellow ribbon tied around a crown. For as long as she could remember, she had hoped and thought that hers matched Lotor’s soul mark. Now, she hoped it wouldn’t. Romelle was confused and Lotor was the source of her confusion.

Allura paused as the tips of the towers of Romelle’s castle came into view. The castle didn’t have the same sleek architecture as the Castle of Lions but it held the charm of a fairy tale. Her father used to tell her and Lancel many stories about Altea before the era of science began. Back when there was a larger emphasis on architecture rather than the science behind everyday life. Romelle’s castle looked like it was pulled out of a story book. A pang of sadness hit her. She hadn’t missed her family as much as she did while looking at the castle. Lancel would have been so excited to see it.

Romelle hadn’t stopped when Allura did. Slegirs and Krolia were right behind her as she continued down the road towards her home. Initially when the Castle was built, it wasn’t supposed to be as large was it now stood. Her great-great-grandfather had built a house that had been only slightly larger than the others, only so he could house anyone who needed a shelter while they built the colony up. Shortly after her father had been crowned as King, the old house had been burned to the ground and King Coba rebuilt it to be far more extravagant as her mother had requested. She wanted everyone to know who was in charge. Romelle hated the implications of that.

Her family was no better than any other on Pollux, even if they had royal blood. Romelle and her brothers had spent their childhood playing together in the forest along with the other children in the colony and visiting the elderly lady down the road, Viv, who would bake them treats and other goodies. It had been a sad day when Viv died. Bandor and Romelle had cried their eyes out for the entirety of her memorial service. Avok hadn’t displayed his grief as openly as his younger siblings but Romelle had caught him later that night weeping.

“Allura?” Romelle paused in her step and turned to see the elder princess staring at the castle ahead of them. Hunk had stopped next to her and was looking at her in concern. Slegirs and Krolia had also stopped to look at them. Allura shook herself out of her thoughts and offered them all a small smile. Romelle didn’t think it was genuine.

“I’m fine. I just wasn’t expecting such a beautiful castle like this.” There was a heavy sadness in her voice and it broke Romelle’s heart. She hadn’t even thought about how this could affect Allura. They didn’t even have the chance to discuss if Allura would be okay visiting the colony. That should have been one of the first things they talked about. “It reminds me of the stories my father used to tell me when I was younger.”

Allura stepped forward, urging everyone to continue on. Romelle took the lead once more, guiding them to the gate that separated the courtyard of the castle from the rest of the city. Opening the door in the gate felt heavy. This was a gate Romelle had opened many times over her life as she rushed out of the castle to play with her brothers and their friends. It had been nothing more than an obstacle in their way. Now it felt like the last barrier between safety and the truth. There shouldn’t have been any emotional connection to the gate, yet Romelle felt more at home as she opened it than when she first saw her home.

The gate didn’t creak as it swung open. Romelle walked through just as she had so many times before, yet it felt so different to walk through the courtyard once again. Avok was dead and Bandor was away on the second colony. A place that had once been filled with laughter was now silent. Even the servants were nowhere to be found. The gate closed behind Hunk, the last of the group to walk through it. Romelle suppressed the shiver that wanted to shudder through her body. The sound almost made it feel like her fate was sealed.

Allura paused at the large statue that stood in the middle of the courtyard. She didn’t recognize the person but she could guess who it was. Romelle had told them how, according to the stories of old, Lotor had found the remaining Alteans and gathered them to form the first colony, Pollux. It seemed the Alteans on the colony definitely adored and admired Lotor as their savior. Allura frowned at the statue. Something didn’t sit right with her about it.

“Princess Romelle?” Romelle recognized that voice. Mirana had been her personal servant for longer than she could remember. While Romelle didn’t like calling her a servant, Mirana often reminded the princess of her position within the castle. Mirana had been one of her best friends growing up. Romelle rushed to hug the brunette, nearly tripping as she did so. Even though she had missed her family, she had missed Mirana even more. As she pulled away, Romelle noticed Mirana was crying. Mirana gripped the bottom of her apron and lifted it to Romelle’s eyes. Had she been crying as well. She must have as she felt Mirana’s apron dampen with her tears.

“We were told you were missing Princess. Your father’s been worried sick.” Mirana hadn’t even looked at the people behind her as she focused completely on her princess. Romelle looked different, but the servant would know who she was even if her eyes and eye scales were different.

“It’s a very long story, Mirana. I would like to see my parents before we get into any of that.” Mirana’s face fell and all hope dwindled in Romelle’s heart. Were her parents gone now too? If so, then they had wasted a trip to her home when they could have accompanied the other Paladins to their own destinations.

“A lot has happened while you’ve been away, Princess. Come, let’s get you inside.” Mirana led the group inside, ushering them all in before closing the door behind them.

The inside was bright but the lights were dim, making it feel darker than it actually was. Hunk had to make an effort to keep up with the group as Mirana led them through the dark corridors to an open room. A tall, skinny man sat upon a throne at the far end of the room. He looked deep in thought as Allura came to a stop next to Romelle. The seats around him, two on either side of his, were empty. Romelle began to shake and Allura gripped her hand tightly. One of those had been her mother’s, one had been hers, and the other two had been her brothers’. Her family was dwindling like firewood.

“King Coba, your daughter has returned.” Mirana was formal as she spoke to her king and bowed to him in front of Romelle. The king snapped out of his stupor and turned his gaze on Romelle. A smile broke out on his face and he rushed from the throne towards her. She ran to greet him, hugging him tighter than she had hugged Mirana.

“Romelle, my beautiful daughter. I’ve missed you.” King Coba pulled away to get a better look at his daughter, his thumb brushing softly against her eye scales. When Romelle was younger, the action had been a comfort on those nights she had been afraid. As she grew, it became a way for her family to show their love and care for each other. More tears fell as she looked into her father’s eyes and saw the deep sadness that shined in them.

“I’ve missed you too father. We have much to discuss. Please, allow me to introduce the people I have brought here. This is Princess Allura of Altea. With her are the Yellow Voltron Paladin Hunk, a member of the Blade of Marmora Krolia, and Slegirs, a member of the newly formed Voltron Coalition.” Romelle turned to point to each of her friends as she introduced them. In turn, each of them offered some sort of greeting. Slegirs and Krolia nodded at the king, Allura curtsied, and Hunk waved. King Coba stared at the four of them in shock.

“Princess Allura? As in the same Princess Allura the elders used to tell stories about?” King Coba had never believed the stories his father and grandfather told him of their former home. He honestly hadn’t even believed that Altea had truly existed. It was nothing more than a myth. A myth he kept alive for his father and grandfather, as well as the hope it instilled in his children. He turned his gaze back to Romelle. She nodded enthusiastically.

“The very one. She and her advisor were placed in a cryopod and frozen until very recently.” Allura had explained what happened to them before they had gotten to the Quantum Abyss. She wouldn’t say it completely made sense but she did understand the basics. “She, along with the Paladins of Voltron and the Blade of Marmora are mounting a fight against the Galra. The two groups have come together to form the Voltron Coalition.”

The king nodded, as if he completely understood everything that she had said. He didn’t but the important thing was that his daughter was safe. If she believed these people were trustworthy, he would trust her judgement. King Coba didn’t need to understand so long as Romelle understood what was going on and could trust the people around her, that was all he cared about.

“Father, where is mother?” No one had said anything about her mother yet and it was beginning to worry her. Her father was silent as he bowed his head once again. Was this how her parents felt when they were told she was missing?

“Lotor took your mother to the second colony to be with your brother. She’s been gone for nearly two movements.” He didn’t look at her as he spoke but Romelle could hear how upset he was. King Coba hadn’t been happy when Bandor first left to run the second colony with their uncle. Romelle had initially left for the second colony with the intention of checking in on her brother to ease her father’s worries.

“We’ve heard a lot about this second colony but do you know where it is? Maybe we can go and check on everyone.” Krolia was the one who spoke up instead of Romelle. Since the moment Romelle had mentioned the second colony she had been curious about it. The fact that Romelle hadn’t known where the second colony was rose some suspicion. There wasn’t something right about the fact that they hadn’t been heard from again afterward.

“Unfortunately, Lotor never told us the location. He said it was to keep us all safe.” That was the very reason King Coba hadn’t trusted the half-Galran Prince. He had no idea where his son or wife were and that would never settle with him.

“That’s suspicious. Someone should know where the second colony is in case something happens to Lotor.” And if Krolia had any say, Lotor would be stopped before he could ruin another life. She hadn’t said anything to Romelle merely because all of her information was based on the rumor mill but from what she’d heard, Lotor was not the type of person to willingly help people. There had to be something in it for him. She just couldn’t think of what it was yet.

“You’re welcome to wait until he returns to ask him. He had told us Romelle would never return when he was last here to take my wife to the second colony. Maybe he’ll bring my dear Orla back when he returns.” King Coba had no idea when Lotor would return so he doubted the group would stay to wait for him. He doubted it would be soon and he doubted even more that his wife would return to him. Saying she would return was a false hope he clung to. It was all he had left.

“We can’t wait that long, unfortunately. We have to return to our base before the end of the movement.” Allura had hoped she would be able to get to know her descendants but now that she was there, the only thing on her mind was business. They were there for a reason and that was to see what information the members of the colony could give them about Lotor. Krolia was suspicious of Lotor and Allura had no information to base an opinion on. She didn’t know if Lotor was a threat or not, but maybe these people could help her figure that out.

“You are welcome to stay as long as you can. I cannot express how thankful and happy I am that you returned my darling daughter to me. All of Pollux will be grateful to have her back.”

Allura had a bad feeling as she curtsied gratefully to the king. It wasn’t so much about Pollux. Pollux seemed like a normal colony except for the fact that there was a giant statue of who she assumed was Lotor erected in the middle of the courtyard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed :)  
> Unfortunately, due to various personal events happening in the next couple weeks, I will not be updating until the first or second week of August. I need to take time for my family and for myself and take a break from writing. After things settle and I can get another chapter written, I will begin updating again.


	15. Lancel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick recap: Paladins split up to speak to different rebels and take Romelle home. Shiro and Pidge went to meet with Matt; Keith and Lance went the opposite direction and found Lotor and Bralae instead of the rebel; and the rest of the group went to Pollux through the Quantum Abyss.

The ship was exactly where Lotor said it would be. Right down to the rip through reality Lotor had described. Idly, Keith realized that this was the ship Krolia had told him about before they parted on Olkarion. It looked just like a wormhole except for minor differences. The light pouring out of the tear was brighter than Keith had expected. It nearly blinded him as he examined the stern of the ship that was caught in the rip. Keith glanced back at Bralae. Both of them frowned.

“This could kill us.” Bralae had accompanied Keith because she had missed her brother and she was worried for his safety. She had a valid reason for that worry as she looked over at the ship stuck in the tear. Lotor had said that only the Voltron lions could pass through the rip to claim the ore he was looking for. She hoped that meant they would be safe inside of the Red Lion but the chance that it could kill them wasn’t as low as she felt comfortable with. She couldn’t help but wonder what the Paladins would do if Bralae and Keith did get torn apart. What would her father do?

“It’s the only way to save Lance.” Keith hadn’t told his sister about Lance being his soulmate, or that he was falling for the Blue Paladin quickly. Somehow, he felt that she knew already. Bralae always knew. He knew this was dangerous but it was his best chance at getting Lance back from Lotor. He’d have to take his brother’s word that he wouldn’t harm Lance until they brought the comet back to him.

Bralae stared at her brother. Keith had only ever used that tone of voice when he talked about one other person. She hadn’t expected him to find love in anyone else after Lancel but this Lance had caught his heart. If there was one thing Bralae had hoped for, it was that her brother would be able to find his soulmate again. She knew that Haggar had hunted down every reincarnation of Lancel and murdered them in front of Keith. She would do anything to keep this one out of Haggar’s hands.

“Then let’s go.” The determination in Bralae’s voice was something Keith hadn’t heard since the day Marmora’s younger brother had been taken hostage by the Reinzi. Bralae cared deeply for the people she loved and would do whatever necessary to keep them safe and happy. Right now, Keith appreciated that more than anything.

Keith thrust the handles forward, slowly bringing the Red Lion toward the rift. Nerves bubbled in his abdomen but he couldn’t allow himself to stop. Lance was in danger every second he was with Lotor. The sooner he went in and retrieved the ore from the comet the sooner he could get Lance to safety.

The light grew more blinding as they entered the rift. Keith shielded his eyes with one arm as he kept the other on the handle in case he needed to avoid anything. There was no saying what they were going to find on the other side of the rift. What he saw was the hull of the ship sticking out of the rift. Slowly, he landed his Lion on the top of the ship. He would have to investigate the ship until they could discover where the comet was.

The tick Acxa felt the ship take off she knew Lotor was going against his word. It didn’t surprise her. What did surprise her was how long it had taken him to leave the moon. Keith and Bralae had been gone for nearly two quintants already. Lotor knew it took longer than that to get to the rift and back. Let alone how long it would take them to get the ore in the first place. She sighed. This would cause her more problems in the long run.

The prison cells were quiet. It made sense since there were only two prisoners left in the cells. The Paladin was most likely asleep, as Lotor had kept him drugged from the moment he was pulled onto the ship. Zethrid enjoyed roughing him up as the drug wore off. Down the hall the other prisoner was as silent as he had been since Narti brought him onto the ship. The human had an amazing resilience when it came to keeping quiet about his information. She knew it had angered Lotor tremendously.

Acxa paused in front of the Paladin’s cell and looked through the small window. He was awake but so drugged out of his mind he wouldn’t even recognize where he was. In the darkness of the cell, his eyes shined bright and she was sure she could see faint Altean eye scales under them. No, he couldn’t be Altean. Their scans would have picked that up, wouldn’t they? She shook her head. It was a trick her mind was playing on her. There was no way the Blue Paladin was Altean.

She continued on, heading to the last cell on the right. The man was awake and staring at the door when she looked in. After checking to make sure no one was around and the security cameras were still jammed, she knocked gently on the door. It was how she had told the man she was there to talk to him as a member of the Blade rather than a general.

“Our timeline has moved up. Lotor captured the Blue Paladin and is most likely taking him to Haggar. We’ll leave as soon as he’s awake.” She didn’t wait for the human to respond before she began walking back down the hall. Acxa could no longer wait for Kolivan to give her the go ahead to remove the prisoners from the ship. Things were getting dangerous and Acxa could only imagine what Haggar would do if she got her hands on a Paladin.

Turning the corner, Acxa stopped dead in her tracks. Ezra leaned against the wall to her left, a knowing smirk on her lips. Acxa’s eyes narrowed as she frowned at the woman. She’d been caught. She acted carelessly and had been caught.

“You wouldn’t be planning on helping the Blue Paladin escape, would you Acxa?” Ezor had been listening. Acxa cursed internally. How was she supposed to get out of the situation without raising suspicion?

“Why would I do that? I’m loyal to Lotor and his goals.” The lie felt bitter on her tongue but she kept it out of her tone. She needed Ezor to believe her.

“Because if you were, I’d have to make the choice to either help you or tell Lotor. Personally, I would rather not visit the central hub of the Empire. Haggar terrifies me more than Lotor or Zarkon.” Was Ezor offering her help? Acxa didn’t say anything as she tried to determine her intentions. Ezor had been an open book to Acxa since they had met but somehow she was impossible to read.

“Even if I were to help the Paladin escape, we would still head to the central hub. Lotor only wants to gloat over beating his brother and sister.” She couldn’t imagine what Keith’s expression would look like when he realized Lotor had left with the Blue Paladin already.

“Not if we also leave with him. We can even take that human you’re so fond of.” Acxa’s expression didn’t change as she stared at Ezor critically. “Look, Lotor knows there’s a spy on the ship but he doesn’t know which of us it is. I have no intention of outing you but he’ll figure it out soon. If he or Zethrid find out I helped you escape I’d be dead. Zethrid is more loyal to Lotor than she is to me. If you leave with the prisoners, I’m going with you.”

The emotion on Ezor’s expression was raw. She couldn’t fake that kind of emotion. Acxa narrowed her eyes before turning her head to look back at the closest cell. Their plans would have to wait until the Blue Paladin came down from the high, regardless of how many people left.

“I’ll take you with, but if this is a trap you’re as good as dead.” Ezor only nodded but the happiness in her smile told Acxa she wouldn’t betray her. Now all they needed to do was wait.

The ship was empty. Keith and Bralae could only explore the part of the ship that was on their side of the rift, but they knew the comet had to be there. Already the two cleared most of the front of the ship. The only two chambers they had left to check were the bridge and the storage bay. They paused in front of the door. Someone was in there. The door opened before Keith could try. Keith’s eyes widened. He knew this was an alternate reality but he hadn’t expected to see _him_. Especially not with a blaster pointed directly at his face.

“Keith?” The voice sounded just as he remembered and his heart beat faster. The look of shock on the Altean’s face told him he hadn’t expected to see Keith.

“Lancel,” he breathed the name more than said it. He had to shake himself of the feeling. Lancel was dead. His Lancel was dead. This may look and sound just like him but it wasn’t the Lancel he knew. This was an alternate reality with an alternate Lancel.

“What are you doing here?” Lancel looked confused as he took a step closer to Keith and lowered his weapon. Behind him stood Alteans Keith didn’t recognize. He didn’t expect to recognize him. Keith pulled his helmet off so he could better talk to Lancel. He handed it to Bralae as he took a step closer to the Alternate version of his soulmate. His first soulmate, that is. “How are you here? It’s been ten thousand decaphoebs since…”

“We’re looking for a comet that is most likely on this ship.” Keith ignored the last question from Lancel.

“Emperor Lancel, we need to continue on with the tests.” One of the Alteans from behind Lancel. Keith resisted the frown that threatened to relay how he felt about that statement. Lancel waved them off as he continued to stare at Keith. Keith would have to play off of the relationship he was sure they had in this reality as well if he was going to get what he needed.

“Leave me with our guests. We can run the tests later.” The Alteans left and Keith turned to look at Bralae. She frowned at him from behind her helmet but handed his back to him before turning to leave. He gripped his helmet tightly as he felt Lancel’s thumb glide over the scar on his face. Lance had done the very thing just before they left the Castle to go to Vorama. It felt different from when Lance did it.

“That comet it called a trans-reality comet. I need it to save you. The you from my reality.” He reached up to place his hand over Lancel’s. He wouldn’t tell him that Lance wasn’t his exact duplicate. If he thought he was saving himself, maybe Lancel would give him the comet.

“We’re still together in your reality?” There was hope in his voice. That brought hope to Keith. He nodded.

“We’re Voltron Paladins. Your father created the Voltron Lions over ten thousand decaphoebs ago. You pilot the Blue Lion and I pilot the Red. Unfortunately, on a mission to contact rebels against my father’s army you were taken by one of the commanders. I need the comet to strengthen the Lions and our weapons to get you back.” He’d heard Alfor speak about what he could do with more of the comet’s ore. He was drawing on that knowledge as he crafted his lie. He couldn’t tell Lancel he was going to trade the comet to get Lance back.

“My father killed you when the Galra first attacked ten thousand decaphoebs ago. Allura and I put a stop to your father’s uprising as well as our father’s own attempt at forming an empire. I never forgave him for taking you from me. It’s nice to hear you and your Lancel are still fighting.” There was something straining in Lancel’s voice and it set Keith on edge.

“Please, help me continue to fight my father. He nearly killed you once.” Keith poured all of the emotion he felt into his words as he gripped Lancel’s hand tighter.

“I wish I could. We need that comet to maintain peace here.” Keith’s smile dropped.

“Do you have peace now? Because we don’t. In the last six phoebs we’ve only managed to release two planets from my father’s rule. Our Lions aren’t strong enough to fight off entire fleets of battle cruisers. We need that comet.” Lancel shifted his hand so their fingers were interlocked.

“I can’t give you the comet but I also can’t stop you from taking it. Right now, the storage pod where the comet is being held is empty. It’ll take me approximately ten dobashes to get to my team to inform them of the breach.” Keith smiled. This wasn’t his Lancel, but regardless he was helping him with what he needed. He pulled his hand way and put his helmet back on. Lancel stopped him before he could leave the room. “Hit me. Make it a good one. My team will know I helped you if I’m not harmed.”

Keith nearly cried as he summoned his bayard. He didn’t want to hurt Lancel in any reality. Still, he had to do it so he could get the comet. He struck Lancel’s chest, hoping his armor would protect him from most of the damage. Tears fell. “Thank you.”

Keith left the room, the door shutting behind him, and found Bralae around the corner. He grabbed her hand and continued to run. He explained how they only had ten dobashes to get to the Red Lion, find the storage bay, collect the comet, and get out. It took them three dobashes to return to the Red Lion, leaving them seven dobashes to finish their task.

“How are we going to find the storage bay? We have no idea where to look.” Bralae asked as they entered Red’s cockpit. She was breathing hard but had no time to relax and catch her breath.

“This ship was built in our reality, right? Alfor used to put the storage bays on the lower levels of the exploration ships. If it’s not there we’ll tear this ship apart until we find it. I don’t care if that was Lancel or not. I need that comet.” Hopefully, it didn’t come down to that because it really would hurt him to hurt Lancel more.

He moved down to the lower part of the ship. Theoretically, if this ship was like the ones he had been on, the storage bay should be at the bottom level of the hull. That was where he struck first. Bralae almost cheered when she saw the comet but stopped when she realized how big it was.

“Can we actually carry that?” Keith didn’t answer as he flew into the ship to grab the comet. It was large, much larger than he had expected, but he was able to get the majority of Red’s mouth around the middle. It took all of the thrusters to lift the comet up but once it was free of its holder it was almost weightless. Keith raced out of there just as the Alteans ran into the bay. They fired at Red as Keith left the hole he had made in the ship.

Returning to their reality only took one dobash. Without the comet on the ship, the rift closed, crushing the ship in half. Keith let out a sigh of relief as he made the journey back to Vorama. It had already been a full quintant and a half. They had been in the alternate reality for at least a varga, maybe longer. He wasn’t sure how time flowed in the other reality. It would take them just as long to return to Vorama.

Hunk brought the last of the supplies into the supply chamber of the Castle. They were getting ready to leave Pollux after spending a full quintant with King Coba. He had even offered supplies from the Castle to support them on their journey back to Olkarion. Romelle had decided to stick with them to help in any way she could as they searched for the second colony. King Coba had been upset but he didn’t try to stop her. He had finally opened up about his doubts concerning Lotor and his intentions with their people. As they counted up the number of Alteans who had moved on to the second colony, Allura grew sicker. She knew her people would do anything needed to keep in contact with their families.

Krolia had kept to herself what she thought was happening as King Coba promised to keep their presence here a secret from Lotor should he return before they found him. They hadn’t interacted with the people of the colony, so keeping their visit a secret should be easy for the King. Those they had seen wouldn’t recognize the four accompanying Romelle, nor would they disobey their King if he asked them to keep silent. Allura felt comfortable with that.

“I will miss you, my daughter. I know you’ll do great things out there.” Romelle was hugging her father as they said goodbye once again. Night had fallen and it was time for them to leave. King Coba had suggested leaving later in the night, when the colony slept, so they could reduce their chance of being seen by more people.

“Take care of the colony while I’m away, father. I swear I’ll bring Bandor and mother back.” It may take a while but Romelle knew they would find the second colony. She pulled away from her father and turned to her new friends. Mirana was standing by the edge of the Juniberry flower field, ready to escort her King back to the palace. Allura was the last to get on the Castle, turning to bid Mirana and King Coba goodbye as well before leaving. They were already walking away. Allura smiled at their backs before also climbing aboard the Castle.

“Allura, Romelle’s father gave us something he thought you may like.” Krolia spoke as she entered the bridge. Romelle held a bouquet of Juniberry flowers, bringing a larger smile to Allura’s lips. The blonde princess held them out to Allura and she took them gratefully.

“Father thought you might be able to cultivate them here on the Castle. I know you thought they were all gone. Keep them to soothe your home sickness.” Romelle didn’t have to do much to convince her father to give up some of the flowers. Once he had heard that Allura was from Altea, he told Romelle to give her as many of the flowers as she wanted to. Allura put the flowers down before walking up to her consoles and beginning their ascent from the colony. They had time to kill as they traveled through the Quantum Abyss again.

Vorama was deserted. Bralae’s ship was still there but Lotor’s was gone, and with it, Lance. Keith swore as he clenched his fist around one of the handles.

“Call your friends. Have them meet you here. If Lotor returns don’t give him the comet unless he returns your friend first. I bet Lotor is taking him straight to Haggar and Zarkon. It’ll get him back in good graces. I’ll head there now and see if I can’t find your friend first. If I can I’ll contact you.” Bralae didn’t wait for Keith to answer. She nuzzled her nose against the side of his face before leaving the Lion. There had been a time where such affection could relax him. Now all he felt was his stomach trying to jump up through his throat. He placed the comet down and watched as Bralae left the moon.

Finally, he let out the breath he’d been holding and opened a comms channel to Coran. He didn’t give any details as he told Coran to send the rest of the Paladins as soon as they returned to Olkarion so they could go after Lance. He did mention that Lance was taken captive by Lotor, but offered no other details. It was better to tell them in person.

Shiro had never been so happy to see the low glow of Olkarion as he was when they arrived at the planet nearly an entire week after they had left Suvoem. Pidge landed just outside of the city, where the Castle had landed over a week ago. The rebels landed on either side of the Green Lion and immediately disembarked from their ships. Ryner, Coran, Ulaz, and another Olkari – Shiro made a mental note to remind himself to ask his name – were already standing in front of Green waiting for them.

“It’s good to see you again Paladins.” Coran looked close to tears as he stepped forward. Shiro could tell that he had missed them but didn’t want to come off as overdramatic in front of the rebels.

“It’s good to see you too Coran. This is Pidge’s brother Matt. With him are Captain Te’Osh and Lieutenant Ozar, the leaders of this rebel unit.” Shiro pointed to each of the three as he introduced them. He turned to them when he finished to introduce Coran and Ryner. Te’Osh and Captain Ozar nodded at the two while Matt waved.

“Allow me to welcome you all to our planet. My people will help you bring your supplies into the city.” More Olkari walked closer to the rebels. They were already pulling supplies off the ships and Olkari were taking them to carry into the city.

“Any word from Allura or Keith?” They were nearing the end of the movement when they needed to return. Since the Castle and the Red Lion weren’t there, Shiro was certain they were the first to return. Coran’s face fell.

“Allura and the Castle will be back soon, within a varga at most. Keith sent a transmission that is rather worrying and it’ll be best if we wait for Allura before making hasty decisions.” Shiro and Pidge tensed up. Keith was their best pilot. If something happened it couldn’t be good. Especially because Lance was with him. Had something happened to their friend?

“What did he say exactly?” Pidge asked. There had been limited conversation between the three groups. It had been five days since Keith and Lance arrived on Vorama. Allura had landed on Pollux around the same time and had left two days ago as well. Allura’s ability to open a wormhole gave them the advantage in returning quicker. Even so, it shouldn’t have taken this long for Keith and Lance to return, meaning something had happened.

A wormhole opening in the sky above them caused Coran to pause. The Castle emerged from the wormhole and the rebels cleared room for Allura to land. Shortly after, everyone walked off the castle, including Romelle. Pidge hadn’t expected her to return after going back home.

“Princess, we have a problem. Keith and Lance were intercepted by Lotor and Lance was taken. In his transmission, Keith said he had a lead on where Lotor was going but he wants us to meet him on Vorama as soon as we can.” Shiro’s heart sank as he heard the news. Lance couldn’t be missing. Not again. It seemed everyone was speechless as they looked at Coran in desperation. A part of him felt angry that Coran hadn’t thought telling Shiro and Pidge about Lance’s disappearance was important since he insisted on waiting for Allura. He knew it was wrong to think that way but he couldn’t help his emotions.

“Go, search for your missing friend. I will stay with the rebels to help them get settled.” Ulaz stated, placing a hand gently on Shiro’s shoulder. Shiro nearly jumped at the feeling. Slegirs moved so she was standing next to Ulaz and Ryner.

“I’ll stay as well.” Allura nodded at them both, grateful. She turned to return to the Castle.

“Matt, go with them. Spend more time with your sibling.” Te’Osh ordered. He nodded and followed Pidge into the Green Lion. Shiro and Coran caught up with Allura and Krolia as they all returned to the Castle. Allura started the systems on the Castle again and disembarked from the surface as soon as Romelle and Hunk returned. Pidge was right behind her as they flew away from Olkarion.

It took less than a dobash for Allura to open a new wormhole and the two ships went through it without hesitation. The Red Lion was on Vorama with Keith sitting on top of the Lion’s head when they left the wormhole. Next to them was a large rock that looked out of place from the rest of the terrain. Allura landed in front of Keith while Pidge was next to him. Each of the Paladins and Allura rushed out to meet him.

“Keith, what happened?” Shiro asked as soon as they left the castle. Keith didn’t look up at him. He slid down the nose of the Lion before jumping down in front of them.

“Keith?” Allura pressed, looking between him and the rock. “Is this…?”

“A trans-reality comet. The same material Voltron is made of.” Keith still wasn’t looking at them. “He ambushed us as soon as we arrived. One of his generals shot Lance with a blaster and knocked him unconscious before we could get back to Red. We were supposed to trade. Lance for the comet but he was gone when I returned.”

“Keith, it’s not your fault. I should have told you Lotor was still alive. I’m sorry.” Allura pulled the Galran Paladin into a hug. The tears that he had been fighting shed as soon as he felt her arms around him. Seeing his brother, who should have been dead, alive and taking his soulmate hostage must have been a shock. “We’ll get him back. You said you had a lead on where Lotor is taking him?”

“Bralae is also alive. She was with me when I went to get the comet. Right now, she’s headed for central command to see if she can get his whereabouts. She thinks Lotor is taking him to Haggar and my father.” Keith’s voice grew softer as he spoke, almost too quiet for anyone but Allura to hear.

“Then let’s go. It’ll be harder to infiltrate Zarkon’s ship with only four lions but we’ll figure it out.” Allura pulled away. “Let’s take the comet as well. I don’t know what Lotor wanted with it but I’m not giving him the chance to get his hands on it.”

Everyone returned to the Castle, with Pidge and Keith pulling the comet into the Castle’s pod bay. They left their Lions in the bay as they met everyone else on the bridge. Shiro, Krolia, and Allura were already discussing a plan.

Acxa held her breath as she uploaded the virus into the system. Once it hit, she would have no more than twenty dobashes to get the Paladin and the human out of their cells and down to the pod bay. Ezor had already readied a pod for them to escape in. No one on the bridge was paying her any heed. Lotor was looking at his route to Bralae’s ship. That was where Haggar had last been at, and Lotor doubted she would leave before he informed her of the identity of the rebel. Narti and Zethrid were looking at their own consoles, doing whatever it was they did to keep the ship running. Unfortunately for Narti, Acxa knew how to use her credentials to upload the virus. There wouldn’t be any proof that Acxa nor Ezor had betrayed Lotor.

She turned away from the console. In five dobashes her plan would be in effect. That gave her five dobashes to open the cell doors and the bay door as well. Hopefully Ezor took care of the bay door while she took care of the cell doors. When she stopped at the first cell, the Paladin was awake and his eyes no longer looked glazed over like they did when he was under the effect of the drug. She opened the door quietly.

“In less than five dobashes be ready to leave. I may not be able to get you all the way to your friends but I can get you away from here. We have to be quick.” The Paladin didn’t give her a reaction. She shouldn’t have expected one. To him, she was an enemy. Acxa turned to leave, closing the door just enough for it to look like it was fully closed. The latch hadn’t caught. He could escape if he wanted to, but hopefully he would be smart enough to realize the risk that posed. Acxa needed the latch to be open when the systems went down, otherwise she wouldn’t be able to open the door. She walked the distance to the second cell and opened it as well. The man was sitting in the corner as he always had. She relayed the same information before leaving, doing the same with his door as she did with the Paladin’s. Then she left the hallway, moving toward the bay to see if Ezor had rigged the bay door to open without the power.

Earlier in the day, she had snuck the Paladin’s weapon out of where it had been kept in the storage bay and brought it to the pod bay. His helmet was also there. The only reason she could get away with it was because Lotor and Zethrid were torturing the Paladin in an attempt to reveal the location of the other three Paladins. Acxa was impressed with how well he had kept the information to himself even as he begged for them to stop. Unfortunately for him, Lotor didn’t know the meaning of mercy.

She didn’t make it to the pod bay before the power went out. Instantly, she turned around and sprinted through the halls back to the prison hall. No one had come to check on the prisoners, thankfully so she opened the two doors. Both men walked out.

“Paladin, meet Commander Holt. Commander Holt, meet the Blue Voltron Paladin.” Acxa quickly introduced them before leading them out of the prison hall. They had to be more careful now as they made their way down to the pod bay. Each time she heard someone coming she stopped them and hid until the person or sentry passed. It took most of the twenty dobashes to get the two down to the bay.

Ezor stood next to the pod she had readied and the bay door open just wide enough for the pod to get through. Acxa stopped to give the Paladin his helmet and weapon back before bolting towards the pod. Their time was running out. She didn’t turn to see if the prisoners were following. If they were smart they would be.

“Stop!” Zethrid’s voice made Acxa’s heart beat faster with anxiety. She stopped when she reached the door to the pod. Ezor was already inside. Commander Holt was almost to the pod when the first shot was fired. It narrowly missed him.

“Go! Find the other Paladins and you’ll be safe. Tell Pidge and Keith I’m sorry.” Lance stopped and turned. His bayard transformed into the rifle and he began firing back. At the moment, getting Pidge their father back was more important than his own safety. He heard the pod starting up as he tried to get a better aim on Zethrid. Just as he shot, Zethrid did as well. His armor absorbed most of the shock but it still hurt as he fell to the ground. He hadn’t had chance to heal from the first shot from her weapon.

Acxa watched Zethrid and Narti rush to the fallen Paladin as Ezor flew them out of the bay. They barely cleared the door as the power restarted and the door began to close. The last thing she and Commander Holt saw was Zethrid picking the Paladin up. He didn’t fight her and he dropped his weapon as soon as he was off the ground. She turned to the Human next to her. He looked an equal mix of terrified and worried.

“I’m going to get you to safety. I don’t doubt the Paladins will begin searching for him as soon as they realize he’s not on Vorama.” She knew it didn’t ease his worries when his expression didn’t change. It honestly didn’t ease her own anxiety about leaving the Paladin behind either. She sighed and moved away from the window. Lotor’s ship was growing smaller in the back window now as the pod raced away.

“We need to find the other Paladins. He said my daughter’s name. I need to find her.” So that was what he was worried about. Acxa sighed. Kolivan hadn’t responded to her yet and now that she had left, she hoped he wouldn’t. Her best bet was to try and contact him from the pod to get a location for the Paladins. She wanted to do that without Ezor hearing. Just in case.

Bralae parked the pod back in its space on her battle cruiser. She hoped she wasn’t too late to save the Blue Paladin. Keith hadn’t needed to tell her their relationship for her to know how important he was to her brother. He looked so much like Lancel. That wasn’t a coincidence. She loved Keith; he was her brother and growing up he had been her best friend. Bralae would do anything in her power to protect the person Keith loved. She hadn’t been there when their father killed Lancel. It was a regret she carried with her for the last ten thousand decaphoebs. Now was the time to make things right. She couldn’t save Lancel but she could save the Blue Paladin and in turn her brother. 

The battle cruiser was silent as Bralae made her way to the bridge from the pod bay. There were no sentries or soldiers on her path. It was suspicious. Unless Lotor was on her ship, there was no reason for her subordinates to be away from their stations. Even then, Lotor didn’t need her entire squadron to be with him. There was no excuse. Bralae growled. She was gone for barely a movement and all hell broke loose on her ship.

The bridge only held Haggar, the Blue Paladin, and Commander Thace when she walked in. That made her pause. If her subordinates weren’t at their stations and weren’t on the bridge, where were they?

“I will be transferring the Paladin to Emperor Zarkon’s ship as soon as your subordinates are have finished preparing my ship. The Paladin tried to escape from Lotor’s ship on his way here, I want to make sure he won’t attempt the same thing before he arrives on the Emperor’s ship.” Haggar gave no indication that Lotor had mentioned anything about Keith or their trip to the obtain the trans-reality comet. He probably didn’t want her to know. Not only did Lotor had his reasons for doing whatever he wanted but she knew that he didn’t trust Haggar. Bralae couldn’t blame him for that. Anyone who had their hands on the comet would be powerful.

“Have you determined if he knows anything of substance?” Bralae needed to find a way to convince Haggar to keep the Blue Paladin on her cruiser for as long as possible. It would be easier for Keith and his friends to infiltrate her ship to retrieve the Blue Paladin rather than their father’s. “Why go through the trouble of taking him to Zarkon if he doesn’t know anything?”

“He’s still a Paladin of Voltron. That alone makes him valuable.” Bralae gave an exaggerated eye roll. He was valuable but he was still relatively new to the position. Keith hadn’t lied when he said the Paladin had gone down before he even knew Lotor’s general was behind him.

“The Paladin is weak. He is no soldier. My father will not be happy if you bring him someone who is useless as a soldier and has no information on Voltron’s whereabouts. Did he even have his Lion when Lotor captured him? I don’t see it so I assume not. You know as well as I that the Lions can always find another Paladin.” Bralae glanced down to see the Paladin’s eyes open. Her heart dropped as she realized he was hearing everything she had said. She hoped he would be able to forgive her for those words; at the moment that was the only thing saving his life. “Commander Thace, put the Paladin in a cell. If you will not interrogate him, I will.”

Thace did as told, picking the Paladin up by his arm and dragging him out the bridge. Bralae turned to leave the bridge as well. Haggar was silent as she watched the two Commanders turn their backs to her.

“Oh, and Haggar, send my troops back to their positions. I can’t run a ship if my subordinates aren’t doing their jobs.”

Romelle was conflicted. Her entire life, she admired, respected, and believed in Lotor. She hadn’t even blinked when Bandor was set to go to the second colony. As the eldest child of the king and queen, Romelle was forbidden from going to the other colony but Bandor wasn’t. He had promised to write to her but Romelle had never received any sort of letter from her brother. That should have been her first clue that something was wrong. The words her father told her, of how her mother had gone with Lotor without a thought didn’t sit well with her either. When Bandor had been elected to run the second colony, Queen Orla had argued against her son leaving. It wasn’t that she hadn’t trusted Lotor – the opposite in fact as her mother adored the prince – it was simply that she wasn’t even sure where the colony was. As far as Romelle knew, Orla wouldn’t have left her father after losing her eldest children and her remaining son was far away.

Something didn’t feel right about the situation. Now, Lotor had taken a Voltron Paladin and turned him over to Emperor Zarkon. Honestly, the action made Romelle think twice about her prior loyalty to the Galran prince. Was he truly the savor of her people or were her mother and brother dead? Her father had put the idea in her head during one of their conversations before she had left Pollux. Now, she thought it was more likely to be true than false. It made her feel sick to think her loyalty had put her family at risk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is so late! I only meant to take two weeks off but life happened and I had struggled to find the motivation to write anything. Either way, I hope you all enjoyed this and there will be a new chapter next week.
> 
> Edited 12/17/2020 for clarity


	16. Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentioned blood and gore towards middle to end of chapter

Kolivan was nearly impossible to get a hold of. It had taken Acxa six attempts before she finally got a hold of him. When she finally got through to him, she had to quickly explain the situation and ask for an idea as to where the Paladins were. Unfortunately, Kolivan didn’t know if they were going after Lotor and the Blue Paladin as they had been radio silent for almost two movements. He did, however, give her a place where she could meet with them eventually. Ulaz was there, apparently. She told Ezor to set the coordinates for Olkarion but knew it would take time before they arrived there. At least three quintants before they even reached the system.

Ezor hadn’t betrayed her yet. In fact, she had opened up to Acxa as they flew through the galaxy. While she still loved Zethrid, her constant anger and blood lust wore of Ezor. Seeing Zethrid’s reaction to Queen Orla’s suicide as well as the way the Blue Paladin had been beaten for information he wasn’t giving up had scared her. That didn’t even account for how terrified she was of Zarkon and Haggar. Acxa hadn’t been the only one of Lotor’s generals who had been held prisoner by Zarkon at some point. Zethrid had saved Ezor from becoming Haggar’s experiment when she had seen Ezor’s soul mark. Acxa herself had been saved by Bralae the one time she had come to visit her brother in the cells. Acxa owed Bralae her life. That was the only reason she was adhering to the Commander’s wishes and not going after the Blue Paladin herself. Bralae had said she could do more with the resistance than in a cell. 

_The festival was unlike anything Keith had ever experienced before. There were people all around him and Lancel, drinking the Juniberry juice and dancing to the songs the musicians played. Many Alteans came to speak to Lancel, and Keith to an extent, and many more who invited their Prince to dance. Keith drank more Juniberry juice than he ever thought possible, if for no other reason than because the Alteans continuously filled his glass before it could even empty._

_Keith hadn’t been able to control his thoughts as he watched Lancel dance with various Alteans. Keith himself had been pulled into the fray many times as Lancel’s dance partners moved on to other partners and Lancel wanted to continue dancing. It was fun. More fun than Keith had in so long that he forgot he was supposed to be representing his father._

_At the end of the first night with the party still going strong, Lancel and Keith retired back to the Castle. Lancel walked Keith back to his room but before he could leave, the Galran Prince asked him to stay the night with him. The two fell into Keith’s bed and spent the rest of their night holding each other and kissing. Keith couldn't think of where he wanted to be more than in Lancel's arms. He felt more than just content falling asleep next to the Altean Prince._

Keith didn’t remember falling asleep. He woke up to someone shaking him. Krolia had ordered him to sleep when it became evident that he hadn’t slept since he had first encountered Lotor. Now, she was waking him up. He hadn’t even remembered to close the door to his bed chamber before falling asleep. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he stood from his bed and stretched. It had been a while since Keith had dreamt of his memories with Lancel. Not since he learned Lance was his soulmate. Not since they had started sleeping in the same bed.

“We received a transmission from Bralae and another one from Kolivan. Allura and Shiro wants everyone to meet on the bridge so we can go over the plan they put together.” Keith nodded and took a step forward to leave. Krolia stopped him.

“You need to know, Keith, that this wasn’t your fault. Lotor knew what he was doing and he used you and Bralae to make it happen. We will get Lance back, as a team, but your head needs to be clear.” He knew she was right but that didn’t mean his mind would just shut off. He was still desperate to get Lance back and he would still blame himself until Lance was back in the Castle safely. Until he was safely in Keith’s arms.

“I know. Knowing that doesn’t make me feel any better. I won’t feel better until he’s back. He could be dead for all we know. I broke my promise to him, Krolia. I promised him I wouldn’t let Haggar get her hands on him but I failed.” Keith wasn’t sure he was ready to let any of them know Lance was his soulmate. He had wanted Lance to be there with him when everyone else found out. They hadn’t even talked about telling the team. Keith had told Allura only because she had been there when he and Lancel realized they were soulmates. He felt he owed her to tell her that Lance was his new soulmate. He may have just let it slip to Krolia, however.

“It’s doubtful he’s dead. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad since we know he’s headed straight for Zarkon. Let’s get him back, then. Follow the plan and we will get him back. You didn’t fail. You haven’t failed until we find him dead.” The words were hardly comforting. Krolia moved so he could get out of his room. Keith followed her through the halls back to the bridge. Thankfully, they weren’t the last to arrive but that just meant they had to wait longer to go over the plan. 

Lance shook with fear as the cell door opened. He had hoped the female commander would be the one to speak to him, since she had stated she would interrogate him. Instead, it was the hooded woman who had commanded the ship before Keith’s sister had arrived. Lance barely remembered seeing her after he had been captured by Lotor.

Now that his mind was clear, the fear he felt was heightened to the point he felt like his stomach was in his throat. Though it was Haggar that Keith had promised to keep him safe from, that meant keeping him safe from any Galra soldier. This woman said she was taking him to Zarkon, which meant she was taking him to Haggar. Lance swallowed his fear and glared at the woman.

“Wipe that look off your pathetic face, Paladin.” The woman took a step into the cell and Lance tensed. “You can act brave all you want but I know deep down you’re afraid. You’re afraid of me and you’re afraid of the Emperor. As you should be. Emperor Zarkon killed the last Blue Paladin and he’ll kill you just the same.”

It was a scare tactic. Lance knew she was stretching the truth. Even if Zarkon would kill him, given the opportunity, Keith and his friends would be there to rescue him. Keith had promised. Lance couldn’t lose his faith in his soulmate. He had to keep his comments to himself. Anything he said could be twisted. Sendak had done the very same to Shiro until he nearly lost his own mind. Keith had explained the tactic to him while they were stuck on the water planet in Blue. The only way Lance would be safe, was if Keith found him before he left the ship.

“Haggar, I said I would interrogate him. Leave us.” The other woman’s voice boomed over Lance’s thoughts. The name brought him pause and his eyes widened slightly. He was already in Haggar’s hands? Haggar turned and left without giving Lance another word. Which meant she hadn’t seen his reaction to her name. Good. The last thing he needed was to give her any sort of advantage over him. More than she already had.

Bralae watched Haggar leave the cell with her eyes narrowed into a glare. She knew what the witch was up to and needed to put a stop to it before she could figure out who the Paladin was. Or what his importance was to Keith. She stepped into the cell, allowing the door to shut behind her. She didn’t want Haggar to hear what she was about to tell the Paladin.

“I’m not going to hurt you. Keith should be on his way here with the other Paladins as we speak. I’m trying to make this easier to get you out but you have to cooperate with me.” He visibly relaxed at the words. Bralae assumed that meant he believed her. That was something Keith should have warned him about. Galra rarely keep their word when it isn’t in their best interest. She understood why he hadn’t, however, since it would affect him as well. He was Galra, and the Paladin in front of her wasn’t.

“Don’t say a word to Haggar. Don’t let her see your soul mark. Don’t do anything that could indicate your relationship with my brother. I will not watch my brother mourn his lover a second time.” The first time was hard enough and she hadn’t even seen him that much. If she had known that sending the druids to find him when he had been injured in the meadow would make him a prisoner to their father, Bralae would have just let him die. She should have let him die. Bralae had many regrets in her life. She couldn’t let saving Keith become one of them.

Lance didn’t reply. He didn’t correct her on her assumption that he and Keith were lovers. Mostly because, Lance wanted to be Keith’s lover. The nights they had shared a bed and all the time they spent together had helped the Cuban to fall in love. They hadn’t talked about advancing their relationship since Lance first showed Keith his soul mark. Maybe the conversation was long overdue. Lance would have to bring it up when he was safely back in the Castle.

Bralae turned back to the door. She took his silence as an agreement to do what she needed. Silently, for the at least sixth time in as many vargas, she swore she would get the Paladin back to her brother. The door opened as soon as she placed her palm against it. Haggar no longer loitered in the hall but Commander Thace stood there instead. She ignored him as she shut the door behind her and began making her way back to the bridge. If Krolia’s information had been right, the Paladins would be there in a varga to collect their friend. All she had to do was keep Haggar distracted that long.

The plan was risky. Going into the center of the Empire was stupid, but only bringing two lions was even more stupid. Shiro had initially wanted to take all four lions in and hit the cruiser hard before they went to get Lance. Allura and Krolia had rejected the idea. They didn’t want to risk more Lions than needed. After much debate, it was decided to take the Green Lion with its cloaking technology and the Red Lion since it was the fastest in to retrieve Lance. Their objective was to get in, find Lance, and get out.

Shiro told Keith they were about a Varga away from Bralae’s cruiser. She had stated she would do her best to keep Lance on her ship but there was only so much she could do against Haggar. Thankfully, Krolia had explained who Haggar was to everyone so Keith didn’t have to. His face had paled when he was told that Haggar was on the same ship as Lance. Only Allura knew what Keith had gone through while on Zarkon’s ship. He had never told her who she was, but she knew the name Haggar was connected to Keith’s captivity. Keith did have to explain to the other Paladins, as well as their guests, who Bralae was and her relation to him. Soon, he would have to tell them the full truth about his relation to Zarkon. He was sure they already knew he was related to the man, if not that Zarkon was his father. He still didn’t want to admit it out loud. That would be for a later time. Right now, they needed to focus on getting Lance back.

They were all preparing to leave so that as soon as the Castle was within range they could head straight for Bralae’s battle cruiser. Keith had made sure that the Red Lion had enough first aid supplies in case Lance was harmed. He certainly hoped it wouldn’t be needed. He’d seen Lance hurt once, the last thing he wanted was to see him suffer again.

Keith sat in his pilot’s chair, arms crossed and lip pulled between his teeth in worry. Now that the plan was set and they were getting ready, Keith’s anxiety heightened. He wanted to go, to get Lance back, but he needed to wait. They would get caught if they left now. Five dobashes and counting.

Shiro stood behind him, waiting just as anxiously as Keith was. Lance was his friend. All of them saw him as a friend. He acted as the heart of the team, even if he didn’t know it. Keith blamed himself for Lance getting taken, but Shiro took the blame. It had been him who decided to send everyone off on their own. If he had known this would happen, Shiro would have kept them all together.

Coran popped up on the comms channel, bringing both of their attention to him. He informed them that they were within range and now was the best time for them to fly to Bralae’s ship. 

“Let’s go. Everyone keep your comms on. At the first sign of danger, we get out of there.” Keith knew everyone else could hear what Shiro was saying but it felt like he was talking to him specifically. He didn’t reply as he eased the Red Lion out from the hangar and through the door. Bralae’s ship was ahead of them just passed the first line of fighter jets that patrolled the perimeter of the hub.

“Keith, I know you’re faster than me and Green but I need you to try to go slower so that I can keep the cloaking up on both Lions. With my brother’s help, I can keep both Lions cloaked for approximately fifteen minutes. It’s a tight window but if we can get to the battle cruiser in that span and get Lance out, we should be fine.” As much as Keith wanted to charge ahead, he agreed. If the cloaking gave them more safety, he would do as Pidge said.

“Tell me if I start going too fast, Pidge.” Keith’s focus was hyper focused as he pulled slightly of the Green Lion.

Bralae had told him to remain silent around Haggar. She didn’t tell him how hard it would be to remain silent while the witch tortured him with her magic. The physical hits from the Galra soldier were easy to handle. He grew up with an abusive father and multiple school bullies. His body could take it. His body was not used to the feeling of her magic bolting through his limbs and skull, however. This gave Lance a higher admiration for all Keith had survived through.

Lance wasn’t sure if Haggar was looking for his soul mark or if she hurt him just to cause him pain. If she hadn’t been interrupted, it was likely that she would have found his soul mark. The injury to his thigh stained his armor in blood. The armor did wonders to stop most of the injuries Lance would have gotten without it but the Galra soldier didn’t give up until the blade pierced the Altean metal. Lance wouldn’t have put it past Haggar to strip him of his armor if she really wanted to find his soul mark. Hopefully, his friends got to him before Haggar found it.

With a pained grunt, Lance pulled himself over to the corner of his cell and clutched his leg in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding. All he could do was wait. The pain did little to distract him.

Pidge and Matt were staying on the Green Lion while they both hacked into the battle cruiser’s system to guide the other three Paladins to where Lance was being held. Shiro went in first, followed by Keith and Hunk. They had landed in an empty hallway. The ship reminded Keith of the one he used to use to go between Altea and Daibazaal. He had never had the chance to really explore Sendak’s ship, so he wasn’t sure if the layout was the same. Pidge directed them to go straight forward. Around the corner, Bralae intercepted them. In her hand she held Lance’s helmet and bayard, which she handed over immediately.

“You have to be quick. I cannot stop any of the soldiers from alerting the rest of the Empire if they see you here. I may only be able to buy you a couple of dobashes before the Emperor is contacted.” Shiro and Hunk didn’t trust her, Keith could tell that just by their body language. Shiro tended to trust people more than Hunk, but it only mildly surprised Keith that neither trusted Bralae. It was her ship Lance was on, after all. He hadn’t mentioned her being with him to get the comet, but that would probably draw more suspicion on her.

“Where is he?” Shiro asked, handing Lance’s belongings to Hunk. Keith knew Shiro was testing her, to see if she would give them the correct directions, since Pidge was already giving them directions.

“Continue down this hallway until you hit the next intersection, go left, third hallway down take a right. He’s in the third cell on the left. Keith can open the door.” Keith nodded, realizing the ship had the layout he thought it did. His father hadn’t updated the layout in over ten thousand decaphoebs. Bralae stopped Keith before he could move past her.

“I’m sorry, Keith. I was unable to keep Haggar away from him.” Bralae’s expression was remorseful. Keith knew she regretted not keeping her word, but at the moment all he cared about was finding Lance and getting him to safety. He would worry about his sister’s words later. He pushed past her to follow after Shiro with Hunk right behind him.

“What did she mean by that?” Hunk asked once they were behind Shiro again. Shiro turned his head slightly to show his interest in the conversation while remaining vigilant. Keith hesitated for a moment before sighing. Lance was their friend; he couldn’t keep something like this from them.

“Haggar was the one who tortured me before I was brought to Sendak’s ship. She’s…ruthless when it comes to interrogations. Bralae tried to keep her away from Lance but was unable to.” Keith didn’t want to think about what Haggar had done to their friend. “It’s hard saying what shape Lance will be in when we get there.”

Shiro and Hunk didn’t reply. They rounded the last corner and were met with a group of sentries that had been patrolling. Shiro reacted first, with Keith right behind him, and they took out the majority of the sentries before Hunk launched a shot from his canon that took out the rest. Keith immediately rushed forward, seeing the door to the cell Bralae had said Lance was in. Behind him, he could hear more sentries running toward them.

Quickly, Keith pressed his palm against the pad. The door creaked open, reminding Keith of the various times he had heard the sound on Zarkon and Sendak’s ships. He shook the thought away and focused on the figure hunched over inside. The anger that he had felt melted as soon as he saw the Blue Paladin curled up in the corner.

It had only been an hour yet Lance felt as if he had been hit by a car. Haggar and her soldier had just left. Lance had only just caught his breath when the cell door opened again. He tensed, preparing for either the soldier or the witch to walk in again. Haggar had told him that she would return shortly. He didn’t hear what Bralae had said when she had interrupted them just a few minutes ago. The sight he was met with wasn’t the one he had expected.

Lance didn’t think he had ever been as happy as he was then. Seeing Keith on the other side of his cell door made his heart beat faster and butterflies flutter in his stomach. The absolute rage that had been on Keith’s face melted into relief as the Red Paladin set his gaze on Lance’s battered body. They both knew this was a trap. Still, Keith had come for him. Sounds of a fight drew Lance’s attention and he slowly crawled from his position in the corner of the cell to look out the door. Around Keith’s legs, he could see the other Paladins fighting to hold off the soldiers. Shiro screamed something at him but it was like Lance’s hearing had turned off. He felt hands on his arms, pulling him up, and groaned as he put weight on his injured leg. Blood dripped from his thigh as he leaned on Keith for support.

“Lance?” Lance’s hair was different. What used to be a light brown, originally a darker brown before his time in the healing pod, was now pure white. The same white Lancel’s hair had been. Lance lifted his head and his bright blue eyes almost glowed as they stared at Keith. It seemed like he finally recognized that it was Keith in front of him and he crawled, agonizingly slow until he was in front of the Red Paladin. As soon as he was in the light, Keith noticed the blood on his thigh. His anger returned. The metal used to form their armor, Ablium, was nearly indestructible. The fact that Haggar managed to pierce it and cause Lance to bleed meant she really had been torturing him. Harsher than she had tortured him.

“Hurry up Keith! The soldiers are coming.” Shiro shouted from his position at the mouth of the hall. Keith didn’t hesitate in grabbing Lance by his arms and pulling him up until he was supporting his weight. Lance wasn’t fully functional as Keith dragged him through the halls, with Hunk and Shiro clearing their path, until they had returned back to the Lions. Together, Keith and Shiro pulled Lance into the Red Lion and placed him on the floor. He needed to tend to the injury on his leg before they returned to the Castle.

“I have a first aid kit in the cargo bay.” Shiro nodded and left the cockpit to retrieve the kit. Keith began working on removing Lance’s armor so he could see how bad the injury was. Shiro returned with the kit and immediately began pulling bandages and disinfectant out.

“We’re going to have to rip the fabric around the injury to effectively clean and bandage it.” Shiro took one look at the wound and agreed. Keith pulled a smaller blade from somewhere near his dashboard and carefully began cutting away more of the fabric around the wound. Shiro was already pouring the disinfectant on a piece of gauze to clean the wound as soon as he was able to. Thankfully, the armor Lance wore kept the wound relatively clean. There was a lot of blood but no dirt to infect the wound. Keith was thankful for that. Many times, during his time as a prisoner, Keith had dealt with wounds getting infected before the druids tended to him.

“Are you ready?” Shiro asked, holding the gauze above Lance’s leg. Lance nodded, tensing in anticipation for the pain he knew he would go through. Keith’s hand slid into his just as Shiro pressed the disinfectant to Lance’s wound. Lance’s fingers tightened around Keith’s as he grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut in pain. The sting was worse than any he’d experienced with past injuries. Just like his past experiences with disinfectant, the sting lasted slightly longer after Shiro pulled the gauze away. Another piece was pressed against the injury immediately after. Keith let go of Lance’s hand so he could wrap the gauze around his leg to control the bleeding.

“Let’s get out of here. I’ll watch him.” Keith didn’t hesitate to sit in his pilot’s seat and rush away from the cruiser. Green was right behind him, the cloaking on both Lions returning as soon as they were flying.

“Allura, we’ve got Lance. He’s going to need a healing pod.” Shiro was the one to contact the Castle. Keith had to focus on keeping near Pidge and the Green Lion while dodging fighter jets that flew past them to respond to Bralae’s distress call. His sister had warned him when they arrived she could only buy them a couple dobashes before she had to send the distress signal out. Thankfully, either she or her subcommander had already knocked Haggar unconscious before they had entered the ship.

“Coran just went to get one ready for him. How bad is the injury?” Allura’s voice held urgency and did nothing to calm Keith’s racing heart. Lance wasn’t safe until he was back on the Castle and they were far away from Central Command and Keith’s father. Keith probably wouldn’t relax until Lance told him he was alright. For now, Keith had to focus on getting them back to the Castle. He heard Shiro replying to Allura’s question.

Bralae grimaced as she looked in the cell the Blue Paladin had been sitting in not even half a varga later. Haggar and Vatt had done more damage than she had hoped they would while they interrogated him. The pool of blood in the corner streaked out toward the door, indicating the Paladin couldn’t walk when Keith came to get him. The drops of blood created a trail of blood leading her directly to where Keith had landed the Red Lion. Bralae hadn’t had the time to kill the security feeds, but at least she had smuggled the helmet and weapon to the Yellow Paladin before the camera panned back towards them. Her father would be angry about her ship being infiltrated. He was already on his way to speak with her. She was the only commander in his army who would get a personal meeting to discuss an incident of this magnitude.

“Commander Thace, have whatever soldiers we have left clean this cell. I’m going to check on Haggar.” Bralae turned and left the cell, walking towards the infirmary. Haggar being hit like she was had been a surprise but helpful, nonetheless. The culprit, one of Lotor’s generals, was sitting in a reinforced cell as she awaited interrogation. In one quintant, Lotor lost three of his best generals. Bralae found that to be sweet karma. It was likely Zethrid would be either put to death or turned into a Robeast for her treason.

Haggar was still unconscious when Bralae walked in. The druid tending to her continued his work without looking up. If not for the fact that Bralae knew more druids than most of the other commanders in her father’s army she wouldn’t have trusted him not to tell what he had seen. However, she had asked for Malin by name when her father told her he was going to assign one to her ship. She knew Malin from before the war began. He was one of the oldest druids left still alive.

“How is she?” Bralae leaned against the wall next to the door. Malin finally looked at her as he lowered his hands.

“She used much of her magic in her interrogation of the Paladin. Even with the boost I gave her, it’ll take some time for her to awaken.” His voice was raspy and thick with aggravation. “May I ask why you decided to let the Paladins take their friend back? You could have gained the title your brothers both lost as heir if you presented your father with four of the five Paladins.”

“I could have but that would mean I would have to turn my brother back over to my father, and with him his soulmate. My father killed Lancel so many times already, it’s almost painful to think about what he and Haggar would do to this one. I won’t watch Keith go through the pain of losing another soulmate to our father’s greed.” Bralae turned her gaze to Haggar. “I started this war because I was jealous. I thought that once my father was out of the way, Keith would pass on his title as heir to me so he could remain with his soulmate. It was something we had talked about before he found Lancel and before Lotor was even conceived. If I had known the Reinzi were incapable of killing my father I would have found someone else, rather than start a war this long. Now, I have to do whatever I can to fix that mistake.”

Malin was silent as he stared at her. Bralae could feel his eyes on her. If it weren’t for the fact that Malin was a friend and had been one since they were children, she would be unsettled by his gaze.

“The only way this war is going to end is if your father and the high priestess dies. And if you or your brother take the throne. Take out the head then replace it. That’s the only way this bloodshed will end.” Bralae already knew that. She just couldn’t get anyone close to her father to kill him. If she found a way to kill the witch before she recovered her magic, maybe she had a chance at killing her father. She pushed off the wall and turned back to the door.

“I’m going to go wait for my father. Keep me updated on her condition.”

Keith and Shiro supported Lance between themselves as they walked out of the Red Lion and to the infirmary. Lance was only barley awake as the two practically dragged him through the halls. Hunk, Pidge, and Matt were behind them and the rest of their friends and allies met them in the infirmary. Lance was placed into the healing pod and Coran turned it. Keith backed away as the glass slide up to enclose Lance in the pod.

“The injury isn’t as bad as his last one so hopefully he won’t need to be inside as long. Of course, we won’t know until the pod finishes the analysis. Maybe that will also tell us what happened to Lance to turn his hair white.” Coran turned to the group as the pod turned on, a look of worry on his face. Allura and Keith were looking at Lance, also with worry. The three of them were the only ones to know about Lance’s connection with Lancel. Hopefully, that wasn’t the reason Haggar had tortured him.

“Bralae said Haggar had tortured him before we arrived. What could she possibly want to get from him?” Hunk asked, bringing the attention to him. Krolia frowned and let out a thoughtful hum.

“It’s possible she was hoping to get any information from him, such as where the Lions are or where the Castle is. With the witch, it’s hard saying what she would want. For all we know, she could have just been torturing him just to inflict pain.” Krolia had watched as Keith had been harmed just to entertain Sendak and Haggar. He may have thought it was for a reason but Krolia knew better. She had seen Haggar do the same thing to many others who were known as traitors.

“Well, at least it’s just a single injury. Let’s let Lance heal while everyone gets some sleep. As soon as we are far enough away to wormhole back to Olkarion we will do so.” Allura dismissed everyone and the group disbanded slowly. Soon, the only ones left in the infirmary were Krolia, Keith, Allura, and Coran. As soon as Romelle had left the room, the door slid shut.

“Something is bothering you, Keith.” Krolia’s observation skills were as sharp as Allura’s. Keith looked over at her, silently. “You’ve been quiet since you returned to your Lion. I don’t doubt it has to do with Haggar.”

“Lance’s soul mark is near where Haggar wounded him. If we hadn’t gotten to him first, there’s no saying she wouldn’t have found it. What if she did find it already?” Keith once again felt like it was his fault for Lance’s capture. If he hadn’t underestimated his brother, Lance would have never been captured and Haggar would have never gotten her hands on him.

“Keith, you can’t stop everything from happening. Lance is a Paladin, as are you, and he knows the risks that come with it. If Haggar found his soul mark I’m sure he wouldn’t be here right now. You told me yourself, Haggar hunted every incarnation of Lancel and killed them. That means she knows what your soul marks look like and she would have killed him on the spot if she found it.” Keith’s expression relaxed at her words but his shoulders were still tense with worry. Allura sighed and gripped his shoulder. She pulled him into her gently.

“You two are soulmates? That puts a lot into perspective.” Krolia hadn’t meant to speak aloud. Mostly, she was thinking about how they had interacted with each other since she had arrived on the Castle. Keith was protective of Lance, and Lance was much the same towards him. They were soulmates. It made so much more sense now. Did the rest of the Paladins know? Krolia doubted it. It would have come up if they did.

“Lance and I haven’t told anyone expect Allura. I was worried if people knew Lance would be in danger. Guess it didn’t work like we thought.” Keith didn’t look at anyone besides Lance. His head rested on Allura’s shoulder but his gaze hadn’t moved from his soulmate.

“Lotor would have taken Lance regardless. Maybe he would have kept him on board rather than give him to Haggar, but either way, Lance is in danger as a Paladin. You all are,” Coran added. He hadn’t moved from his position next to the console since before the Paladins left.

“Get some rest Keith. Lance will be fine and whatever happens we will deal with it. As a team.” Allura pushed Keith away slightly, just so she could push him towards the door. “We’ll wake you up if Lance wakes up before you.”

Krolia took over pushing Keith out of the chamber. The door closed behind them and Krolia took her arm off of his shoulder. “Allura is right. You need to get sleep. You’ve been through a lot since we’ve split up. No, you’ve been through a lot since the war began. Much of it, you didn’t deserve. You won’t get a break any time soon so take the time you can and sleep.”

Keith knew, objectively, she was right. If he didn’t sleep now, there was no guarantee that he would get to sleep later. So long as Lance was in the healing pod he could afford the time to rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought!
> 
> Edited 12/17/2020 for clarity


	17. Soulmates

“You failed me. You allowed the Paladins to invade your ship, retrieve their friend, and one of your soldiers knocked Haggar out. How can you possibly call yourself a commander of my army if you’re incapable of simple action.” Zarkon was not pleased with his daughter. The video feed had told him that Keith was now the Red Paladin. He frowned. The last time he had seen that armor was just after his youngest son was born. Alfor was the last person to wear the Paladin armor, and now his eldest child was wearing the exact same armor. He probably would have been happier if Keith had been wearing his armor, but this just told him how different Keith was from himself.

“I was more worried about Haggar. If someone on my ship betrayed the empire I want to know. For the record, it wasn’t one of my soldiers. It was one of Lotor’s generals. He left her here to watch over the Paladin. How was I supposed to know that Keith was one of the Paladins?” Her father still had the frown on his face as he turned away to face the bed where Haggar lay.

“How long before Haggar is ready to be moved? I want her back on my ship.” Bralae turned to the druid who had been healing the witch. He stood in the corner of the room, listening. He perked up slightly at the question.

“She is ready to be moved now but she will not be able to do anything for another few quintants. Maybe a movement at most.” Malin responded clearly. Zarkon hummed in understanding.

“Have her moved to my ship then. We will return immediately. Once Haggar is better, I will send for the general who harmed her. Do not interrogate her until then, am I clear?” Bralae frowned as her father and Malin left the bridge. Thace had be silent the entire time Zarkon was there. Together, they watched as Zarkon's ship left hers to return to the main fleet.

“Ask Zethrid to explain herself. It's not an interrogation if we don't demand the answers. I don't care if she's on our side or Zarkon's. I just want to know what to do with her before my father demands her to be sent there.” Thace didn't question her as he complied. She frowned as she watched him leave. She had told herself it didn't matter what she had to do to protect her brother, but now she wasn't so sure. She risked her own position within the Empire to save Keith his heartbreak. She’d have to keep on the defensive now that her father was on to her. That was fine. She had already wasted ten thousand decaphoebs on this war.

Initially, Acxa wondered if Kolivan’s information about the whereabouts of the Voltron Paladins was correct when she landed on Olkarion. She had seen the city in all its glory when she entered the planet’s atmosphere, but she hadn’t seen the Castle of Lions or any of the Voltron Lions. She landed the ship amongst some trees. They wouldn’t be able to get much farther if this wasn’t the correct planet. The exterior of the ship had damage from the debris that floated around in space and the systems had begun to malfunction just before she had arrived at the atmosphere of Olkarion. Her intent was to send a message to Kolivan to verify the location. Instead, weapons were shoved in her face as soon as she left the ship. Commander Holt was still inside, thankfully, as she immediately raised her hands in surrender to the rebels around her.

“I come in peace. I have a prisoner from Prince Lotor’s ship to pass onto the Paladins.” The prisoner was the only way she was going to get them to listen to her. Right now, she wished she hadn’t dropped Ezor off before coming here. Ezor was good at diplomatic talking and probably would have been able to get the rebels to trust them. Acxa was not that type of person. She was good at spying and she was good at fighting, but not diplomacy.

“Until we decide whether you are trustworthy or not, we cannot allow you or your prisoner to enter our city.” Acxa turned her eyes to the woman. She didn’t recognize the rebel who spoke. That would either make this easier or much harder. She may not have personally wronged her, or any of the other rebels around her, but that didn’t matter much when it was her race that spread so much destruction. If any of them recognized her as one of Lotor’s generals, they didn’t out her right away but that didn’t put her anxiety at ease. She had hoped that Kolivan would have informed them that she was coming, at the least so she could drop the human off with them.

Acxa opened her mouth to argue when a loud noise and a gust of wind cut her off. She looked up to see what she assumed was the Castle of Lions lowering to the surface. She didn’t lower her arms as she watched the Castle land next to the group. It was likely the rebels would take that as a sign of aggression and she would be shot.

It didn’t take them long to return to Olkarion after Allura opened the wormhole at least six systems away from Bralae’s ship. Lance was still in the healing pod. According to Coran it wouldn’t take long for the pod to release him, he just needed an extra few vargas to finish healing. While Allura piloted them to safety, Coran was watching over Lance’s progress.

Keith had been awake for nearly a varga when Allura announced they would be landing on Olkarion soon. He stood from his bed and changed clothes. He hadn’t changed out of his flight suit since before Lance was initially taken. Actually, now that he thought about it, he hadn’t showered since then either. He had time to get a shower in before they landed. It didn’t really matter if he was finished before they landed, it wasn’t as if he was needed to land on Olkarion.

Violet eyes landed on his soul mark and regret filled him. He felt like he had been hiding his attachment to Lance from everyone, and in turn hiding Lance. Coran was right. They were all in danger so long as they were at war. There was no reason to keep their relationship from their friends. Keith paused at that thought. Technically, he and Lance weren’t in a relationship. He didn’t even know if Lance liked him the same way he liked Lance. He hoped he did, and he thought he did, but if he was wrong he would risk losing his friendship with Lance. Maybe even the rest of the Paladins. Was it a risk he was willing to take?

The water burned his skin as he stepped under the spray. Every day he spent with Lance he was reminded of Lancel. Sometimes he forgot that they weren’t the same person. He had never gotten the chance to get to know the reincarnations Haggar killed in front of him so he couldn’t tell if this was just a by-product of wanting to be with his former soulmate again. Then Lance would do or say something that reminded Keith he was completely different from Lancel. Like when he talked about home or used some phrase from Earth.

Now, with Lance’s hair shocked white, he looked so much like Lancel that it almost scared Keith. Was he projecting his feelings for Lancel onto Lance, or were they genuine? How could he even figure out if they were genuine without hurting Lance in the process? He had told Allura that he started falling for Lance before he knew they were soulmates but had that developed into love? He couldn’t be sure. Maybe he should talk with Allura again. She had made him think of a lot during their last talk about his feelings for Lance.

He took a deep breath. This wasn’t something he should talk to anyone about before Lance. He had known right away how he felt about Lancel but now that it came to someone else his mind was clouded. Lance may help him figure out his feelings. It would have to wait until Lance woke up.

The heat from the water began to cool, pulling Keith from his thoughts. He wasn’t sure how long he had spent in there already. Quickly, he scrubbed the dirt and sweat from his skin and hair. As the last of the suds washed down the drain, he turned the water off. Water dripped from his hair as he toweled off. He dressed in clean clothes once he was dry but this hair was still dripping wet. Once he could no longer see his soul mark, he pushed the thoughts of his feelings to the back of his mind. A knock sounded from the door just as he stepped out of his bathroom.

“Keith?” It was Shiro. Keith pulled the towel from his hair, where he had been trying to soak up as much water as he could, and dropped it on the bed. He opened the door to reveal Shiro, no longer in his Paladin armor, standing in front of him. “Allura said there’s something we need to see.”

Keith followed Shiro down the hall to the bridge where Allura, Krolia, and Romelle were staring at the large viewing screen. On it showed the surface of Olkarion, with a Galran pod parked where the Green Lion had been the previous day. Keith could see a group of rebels surrounding someone. They couldn’t tell who it was, but Keith knew they were Galra. Allura was trying to get a better look at the person in the middle but with where they were in the atmosphere, it was proving difficult.

“We’ll have to land to find out who this is.” Shiro and Krolia agreed with Allura. Keith said nothing as Allura moved to her console and began her decent. Just as they finished the landing Hunk, Pidge, and Matt walked onto the bridge. Shiro caught them up on what was going on as Allura got a better view of the person in the middle of the rebels. Krolia gasped as the face appeared on the screen.

“That’s Acxa. She’s a Blade member stationed as one of Lotor’s generals. If she’s here that means something happened to make her blow her cover.” Keith wasn’t sure how much he believed that since she had been there when Lance was taken. She hadn’t tried to stop Lotor and hadn’t even tried to help Lance get away. He pitied her before, when they were both trapped in Sendak’s prisons, but now he was just angry. It wasn’t her fault entirely but she wasn’t innocent in what happened in the last movement.

“Can we trust her?” Matt asked, looking at the screen in front of them. Krolia frowned as she stared at the woman. Her silence didn’t make Keith feel any better about her presence. He tried to pull his anger in so that he could give her a chance but one look at Romelle told him it still showed on his face.

“We can. She wouldn’t know we were here unless she talked to Kolivan. We should see what she’s doing here.” Krolia turned and walked out of the chamber immediately. Allura and Shiro followed her. Keith hesitated. His anger and resentment towards Acxa was superseded by his worry for Lance’s health.

“Keith? You coming?” Pidge was the one to notice his hesitation. Keith shook his head.

“I’m going to stay here with Lance and Coran. We’ll meet you guys once Lance is awake.” Keith knew that if he went down to see Acxa he would let his anger get the better of him. It was better for all of them if he let his anger cool off. That wouldn’t happen until he actually got to talk to Lance. Pidge nodded and followed Hunk and Matt out. Romelle placed a comforting hand on Keith’s shoulder. He jumped at the contact and turned to look at her. She smiled at him, softly.

“I lost my mother and brother to Lotor. If she is one of his generals, I don’t think it is wise for me to see her but I need answers. I’ve had the feeling that those who left with Lotor died but I’ve believed in Lotor for so long that I’m afraid what will happen if I’m right. You’re angry at Lotor for taking Lance and putting him in harm’s way. I can understand where you’re coming from but please don’t let that anger control you. Krolia could be wrong and this woman could be setting a trap for us. She could also be right and Acxa is here for a different reason. Either way, I believe she has answers for us both.” Romelle pulled her hand away before passing him to leave the chamber. She didn’t wait for a response from him. Romelle doubted she would have gotten one from him regardless. Keith understood what she was trying to tell him but it didn’t change the fact that his anger was still raging. Lance could have died and Acxa did nothing to stop it.

Instead of following after the rest of the Paladins and Allura, Keith turned to the left after leaving the bridge to head down to the infirmary. Coran was reading what looked like a medical report when Keith walked in. Lance was still in the healing pod but Keith could see the temperature beginning to warm up. The pod was almost finished with its healing cycle. Keith would have only been happier if Lance was out of the pod and awake.

“Ah, hello Keith! Did we land already?” Coran asked as he noticed Keith standing in the doorway. Keith turned his attention to the advisor and nodded his head.

“The others went to meet with the rebels and see who is out there. Apparently there’s another Blade of Marmora member out there that Krolia knows.” Keith walked closer to the pod, trying to gauge how well the injury was healed. As he shifted his eyes upward, Keith was surprised to see eye scales faintly glowing on Lance’s cheeks.

“Coran, check this out.” Coran came to stand next to him. Keith pointed to Lance’s face, pulling a gasp out of the advisor. First his hair changed, and now he had Altean eye scales? Something wasn’t right. “What could have caused this?”

“The medical analysis report from the pod said he was struck by strong druid magic. It’s possible that the attributes of his former soul incarnation are being pulled out by the druid magic. He was hit with a lot of magic so if that’s the case, I’m not surprised it’s happening so quickly.” Coran placed the report down and turned to Keith. “You said Haggar hunted down the incarnations of Lancel, how many were there before Lance?”

“About eight? There were a few where the soul mark wasn’t an exact match. It’s been about twenty-five decaphoebs since she last found one with an exact match.” Those with an exact match to his soul mark were few and far between. The first three were found within the first hundred decaphoebs after his capture. The rest were spread out among the remaining decaphoebs. It was as if the universe was trying to tell him he needed to be with his soulmate and save them until realizing he couldn’t. Or maybe Haggar just wasn’t as good at finding them as he thought.

“I wish there was more research on the phenomena. I’m afraid I’m going off of children’s tales more than educated articles.” Coran couldn’t find any research about what Lance was going through, and the new development was only complicating Coran’s attempts at understanding what was happening. They both turned to look at Lance, still in the pod.

_Lancel hadn’t seen Keith without his shirt before. Actually, he hadn’t seen Keith at all since he left for Daibazaal after the end of the Juniberry Festival. That had been a phoeb and a half ago and Lancel missed him every day. Now, Keith had returned to Altea to give Lancel the piloting lessons he had promised him. Lancel hadn’t crashed the pod while they were in the air, but after a while of enjoying being in control of the ship, he passed the helm over to Keith to see what he could do._

_Keith had taken him through an asteroid belt in between Daibazaal and Altea, piloting them in between the asteroids. Lancel was in awe as he watched the asteroids pass them. He could pilot a ship just fine, but Keith was able to weave in and out of obstacles and narrowly avoid whatever came near them. By the time they had landed on one of the larger asteroids, the collar of Keith’s shirt was soaked with sweat. He had stripped it off to allow it to dry before they returned to the Castle of Lions._

_“Is that your soul mark?” There, on the left side of his chest was a familiar soul mark. A tornado of fire over a raging sea. Lancel’s own soul mark was on the right side of his chest. He used to stare at it and question what it could represent. His father used to say the tornado represented his fiery attitude and his ability to sweep people into a friendship with him. Now that he had met Keith, he bet the raging sea represented his passion._

_“It is. I’m sorry I didn’t even think to ask if you would be uncomfortable with me removing my shirt. Is it okay?” Keith was definitely shier than Lancel expected any Galra to be. His father was incredibly brash and outspoken compared to Keith. Lancel smiled at Keith before he began to pull his own robe open to show Keith his soul mark._

_“I was right, we are soulmates.” Keith let out a surprise gasp when he saw the soul mark on Lancel’s chest. The opposite side of his own. His eyes trailed up to Lancel’s and his surprise melted into happiness. He reached up and grabbed the hems of Lancel’s robe. Lancel smirked as Keith pulled him into a searing kiss, sliding his own hands up Keith’s chest to rest on his soul mark. Keith pulled away with another gasp._

_“What’s wrong?” Lancel was worried that he had done something wrong. He began pulling his hand away just in case. Keith shook his head and pulled Lancel’s hand back to his skin._

_“It’s warm. Honerva once told me that means we really are soulmates.” Lancel smiled again and pressed his hand against Keith’s skin. Keith reached up and pressed his own hand against Lancel’s soul mark. Lancel felt the warmth Keith mentioned. His father hadn’t told him about that aspect but he knew without a doubt he was meant to be with Keith. He was meant to spend the rest of his life with the man in front of him._

Lance’s eyes fluttered open and he let out a deep breath. He hadn’t forgotten the feeling of being inside of the healing pod but still, he was shockingly reminded how cold it could be. He took a step out of the pod, the leg that had been uninjured bearing his weight as he stepped down, and looked up at Keith and Coran. Both were smiling at him as he tried to keep his balance. Keith stepped forward and put his arm around his waist.

“I’ve got you,” he mumbled as he steadied Lance. Lance offered him a grateful smile as he leaned against Keith.

“What happened? I remember being on a Galra ship and…Haggar. She wanted to know where the Lions were. I didn’t tell her…she hit me with some crazy lightening.” Lance’s words were mostly slurred. Keith hushed him and helped him over to the bed to sit down. He crouched down in front of him.

“How’s your leg?” They would worry about Haggar later. Right now, Lance was Keith’s first priority. Coran left the room, presumably to grab food for Lance since they couldn’t be sure when the last time he ate was. Lance looked up at Keith with glazed eyes.

“‘T’s sore. Head hurts.” Keith reached up to place a comforting hand on Lance’s head. Getting hit with Haggar’s magic would definitely cause his head to be in pain. Keith had dealt with it multiple times before, so he understood better than anyone how Lance felt. He would find a pain killer to help ease the pain.

“You should feel better after a few quintants.” Keith heard Coran return and place a bowl of food goo on the table next to the bed. Keith offered the advisor a thankful smile before Coran left the room once more. The Paladin turned back to Lance and reached for the bowl. “Think you can eat? It’ll help you feel better?”

“Can try.” Lance’s words were still slurred. Keith hadn’t tried to speak to anyone after he had been hit with Haggar’s magic. He couldn’t imagine how hard it was for Lance to speak while he felt so terrible. Still, Lance needed to eat if his pain was going to leave. He held a small spoonful to Lance’s lips. He wouldn’t push him into eating more than he could handle. Lance was only able to stomach about half of the bowl before he shook his head at Keith’s attempt to feed him more. Immediately, Keith put the bowl down.

“Sleepy,” Lance leaned forward to rest his head against Keith’s shoulder. Keith smiled as he gently rubbed the back of Lance’s head.

“Let’s get you in bed then. You can sleep for as long as you need.” Rather than have Lance try to walk and potentially making the pain worse, Keith circled his arms around his waist and gently picked him up. Lance’s arms loosely wrapped around Keith’s neck. The halls were quiet and empty, indicating the rest of the Paladins and their team – because that was what they were now to Keith – were still out talking to the rebels. Keith passed Lance’s room entirely and stopped in front of his own. Lance had spent so many nights in Keith’s room already that Keith felt he would be more comfortable there than in the emptiness of his own. He placed Lance on his bed and covered him with his blanket. He sat next to him as he watched Lance drift off to sleep.

As soon as Lance was asleep, Keith decided to go search for a pain killer and some water so Lance could take it when he woke up. He found the pills in the infirmary, grabbed a few, then went to the kitchen to fill a glass with water for Lance. When he returned, Lance was still sleeping peacefully. He smiled and settled into the bed next to him.

Coran left the Castle after dropping the food off with Keith. He felt he had been intruding on the two when he watched them, so instead he decided he would check on Allura and the rest of their friends. When he left the Castle, the rebel group had broken up and Krolia was standing next to a new person. It must be the Blade of Marmora member Keith had told him about. As quietly as he could, Coran slipped into the crowd next to Allura to figure out what was going on.

“Coran! Is Lance awake? Where’s Keith?” Pidge was the first to notice him and drew attention to him. Coran offered the smallest Paladin a reassuring smile.

“Lance is awake but out of it. Keith remained on the Castle with him to make sure he is okay. He probably needs some more rest before he can move around comfortably. He was hit with intense magic and his leg is still healing. ” The words reassured everyone who knew what was going on with the Blue Paladin and Coran turned his attention to the woman next to Krolia.

“Coran meet Acxa. She used to be undercover for the Blade as a general for Lotor. Acxa, this is Coran, the Princess’s advisor.” Krolia introduced them when it was obvious that the interruption was finished. She didn’t mind the interruption at all, in fact now that Coran was there he could help mediate between the two groups. Allura had tried but she had grown frustrated when the rebels didn’t want to listen to her. Though, Krolia wasn’t sure how well they would listen to Coran if they weren’t listening to Allura.

“This woman claims to have one of Lotor’s prisoners on her ship but hasn’t produced him yet.” One of the rebels stated, bringing them all back to the topic at hand. This was the first time he was actually getting to see the Coran would have to remember to get their names when all of this was over. Pidge and Matt stepped forward, bringing the attention to them.

“Lieutenant Ozar, you can’t hold that against her when you haven’t even allowed her to go onto her ship to get him.” The man seemed surprised that Matt was speaking against him. Matt’s expression was filled with a mixture of exhaustion and frustration. If they had been arguing about this since they had arrived, Coran could understand the frustration. He decided to put an end to the argument.

“How about Shiro and I investigate her ship and if we find anything or anyone we will let you know.” Coran looked over at Shiro, who nodded in agreement. None of the rebels could argue against the logic. The two walked over to the ship and entered. The door was still open, indicating that Acxa had been ambushed by the rebels as soon as she left her ship. Coran couldn’t blame them for being suspicious of her but they could have at least checked up on her story rather than hold her hostage. The mistrust of the Galra was going to be their biggest hurdle to overcome.

The ship was quiet when they entered. It felt so empty. Coran supposed that was because it was a pod and wasn’t meant to travel for long periods of time which meant Acxa hadn’t been living on the pod as the Paladins did with the Castle of Lions. He wondered how far away she had been when she left Lotor’s ship if this was what she was flying. There were no personal belongings around. The only sign of life were the empty packets of food that were piled on a counter.

They decided Shiro would check the front of the ship out while Coran made his way to the back. It would save time for them both if they divided the ship up between them. Coran was surprised to see a man sleeping across a bench in the storage hold. The man didn’t look like he was being held captive, he looked like the prisoners that Pidge and Shiro rescued from Sendak’s ship but Coran knew better than to let his guard down. He was careful as he shook him awake, calling for Shiro at the same time. The sleeping man jolted awake and pushed himself away from Coran. Coran was able to get a good look at the man’s face and he couldn’t help but think of how much he looked like the Paladins. The human Paladins. Their features were similar even if their skin tone was different. Lance had once explained to Coran that was because of the geographical location as well as what he called their race. This man looked suspiciously like the Green Paladin but honestly, Coran couldn’t be sure. It took Shiro a couple of dobashes to make his way through the ship and enter the storage hold.

“Shiro?” The man recognized Shiro the moment he walked in. Shiro’s eyes widened as he realized who Acxa had brought.

“Commander Holt! Pidge and Matt will be so happy to see you! We’ve been looking for you guys everywhere we go.” Coran’s eyes widened in realization. He resembled Pidge because he was Pidge’s father. Acxa hadn’t been lying, and she had saved him from whatever fate would greet him had he been brought to Zarkon.

“Katie? Is she here?” The man jumped up in excitement as he heard his children’s names. Shiro nodded, gripping the commander’s hand and pulling him out of the ship. Coran followed after him, still amazed at what had just happened. Had they really just been delivered the very man Pidge had been looking for since before they and the rest of the Paladins arrived on Arus with the Yellow Lion.

Commander Holt’s skin was dirty and he looked weary. Coran wasn’t surprised. If Commander Holt had been held captive for over a year he had every right to look so exhausted. Sometimes Coran could see the same exhaustion in Shiro. Keith also showed signs of that same exhaustion but it seemed more resolved to accept the feeling. Seeing him with Lance that morning was the first time since before the war that Coran saw Keith so happy. Keith had it relatively easy compared to those who were forced into slave labor and the arena. There was no saying what Commander Holt had been forced to do during his captivity.

Shiro guided Commander Holt out of the ship and over to the group of rebels. He watched as Pidge and Matt’s eyes widened when both saw their father walking up behind him. A hush fell on the crowd as the rebels realized the error in their actions. There had been a prisoner on the Galra ship and they hadn’t bothered to look until the Altean suggested it. Ozar frowned as he watched the reunion in front of him.

“Dad!” Pidge ran through the crowd until they tackled their father to the ground in a hug. Matt was right behind them but pulled his father up when his sibling got off of him. Then he pulled his father into a bone crushing hug as well. Sam grabbed Pidge and pulled them into the hug as well, getting the chance to properly hug his children.

“I’m so happy to see you both. How did you get this far out in space, Katie?” Sam asked as he pulled away from the hug. Pidge’s cheeks burned with a blush as they looked bashfully over at Shiro. Shiro walked over and put a hand on Pidge’s shoulder and the other on Sam’s shoulder.

“How about we head into the Castle to talk. Te’Osh, Ozar would you like to join us?” It was Allura who made the suggestion before Shiro could. Krolia immediately guided Acxa into the Castle, followed by Romelle and Hunk. Coran waited until Allura turned to walk into the Castle as well, followed by the two rebel leaders. Sam looked around curiously, watching as the rest of the rebels disbanded and walked the other way than the two who followed after Allura and Coran. He turned to his children.

“Come on dad, there’s a lot to discuss.” Matt lead them into the Castle. Shiro was the last in the group to enter and the door closed behind him. Sam looked around amazed as Pidge took to the front to lead them through the Castle. Matt hadn’t been given a tour yet so he typically spent his time with either Shiro or Pidge to make sure that he didn’t get lost. He found after the first night that the Castle was like a maze inside.

“The architecture here is incredible. How old is this place?” Shiro remembered how much Sam had enjoyed looking at the older architecture of the buildings in the towns surrounding the Garrison. He probably hadn’t seen anything like Altean architecture.

“Approximately ten thousand and six hundred years, give or take. We haven’t quite figured out what the comparison between an earth year and a decaphoeb is yet. It was built by Coran’s grandfather.” Pidge stopped short of the dining chamber where Allura had gathered everyone. They turned to their father and looked away in hesitation. “Also…uh…I prefer Pidge instead of Katie…”

Sam smiled at his daughter and nodded. They could talk about that more in depth later on. So long as for the moment he knew what to call their, the full conversation could wait. He ruffled their hair, which looked exactly like Matt’s had when he first joined the Garrison, and adjusted his gaze so that he was looking at the still closed door in front of them. Pidge turned around and entered the room. The three adults followed after them.

Hunk and Coran were not in the chamber when the four walked in. Romelle sat on the left side of Allura, who faced the door, while Krolia and Acxa sat further down the table. Te’Osh and Ozar sat across from Allura and Romelle. Shiro took the seat between Allura and Krolia. Matt and Pidge sat on the other side of Te’Osh and Ozar while Sam was directed to the chair at the head of the table, the one that Allura usually sat in when they ate.

“Let’s begin. Mr. Holt,” Allura was interrupted by both Holt siblings and Shiro. Allura’s eyes widened in shock at how the three jumped in before she could finish her sentence.

“Commander Holt. His title is Commander Holt,” Shiro explained. Sam shook his head at his children. As much as Shiro wasn’t his child biologically, Shiro was his child. He was fairly certain that Colleen would have adopted Shiro had he been underage when they met. Shiro acted like Sam was his father as much as Sam treated Shiro like one of his children. The commander was not surprised by how he defended his title.

“My apologies. Commander Holt, can you tell us how you ended up on Lotor’s ship in the first place?” Allura’s cheeks had a light dusting of red to indicate she still felt embarrassed. Usually, the Paladins were quiet while she tried to negotiate with their allies. She wasn’t used to having any of them interrupting her or correcting her while they had diplomatic company.

Sam complied and described what happened to him after he had been separated from Matt and Shiro; how he had been sent to a facility in a galaxy he didn’t recognize to design and build weapons for the Galra. He explained how he had been visited by Lotor and his generals and taken from the facility to sit in a cell on Lotor’s ship for months. He finished by telling the group how Acxa and one of the other generals helped break him out of the cell and off of Lotor’s ship; how Lance had sacrificed his own freedom to give them the time to escape. By the time he had finished everyone was silent. Sometime during his story Keith had entered the room but didn’t take a seat at the table. He had wanted to argue against bringing Acxa into the Castle but when he heard that she had tried to help Lance escape Lotor’s ship he paused. Keith had assumed that Lance hadn’t had the chance to escape but hearing that someone had tried to get him off the ship and he stayed so they could get to safety instead made him rethink everything. All of his anger and resentment towards her faded. Maybe he had presumptively judged Acxa without all of the facts.

“I don’t know how he recognized me but he made sure to give us the time to get away. We wouldn’t have known where to go if he hadn’t mentioned Pidge’s name.” That was when Keith realized the man speaking was Pidge’s father. The very person they had been looking for since he had met them. He knew then, no matter how much he had wanted to be mad at Acxa for not getting Lance out of danger, he couldn’t be. Lance had made the choice to let Sam go, even at the expense of his own safety. The conversation continued and Keith slipped out of the room quietly. He had intended to take the shorter route to the kitchen, in order to grab a bottle of water for Lance, but instead he took the long way around. He had accidently spilled the water he had first put in the room so if he had something with a lid it wouldn’t spill.

Hunk was in the kitchen when Keith walked in. It seemed like he was making a feast for their guests and Coran was helping wherever he could. Hunk was the first to noticed him as he walked further into the chamber.

“Hey Keith, is Lance still asleep?” Hunk didn’t stop working as Keith moved around him to get to the cabinet to grab a glass. Hunk’s sleeves were rolled up, freeing his arms to move without the cloth getting in his way. It also showed his soul mark. Keith hadn’t seen it before but the crown and ribbon fit him perfectly. He walked over to Coran to fill the glass with water.

“Yeah he is. I’m sure he’s going to be asleep for much of the day. I figure he would want something to drink when he wakes up so I figured I’d put a glass next to the bed.” Hunk nodded as he placed the dish into the oven. Keith definitely didn’t recognize the food but he was aware the wonders Hunk could do with food. He turned the food goo into something they could willingly eat.

“Let me know when he’s awake enough to eat and I’ll heat up some food for him.” Keith nodded before realizing that Hunk wasn’t looking at him.

“I will. Hopefully, he can eat more than he did this morning when he wakes up.” Keith knew that eating would be hard but not eating would keep him feeling as terrible as he did then. “If anyone needs anything we’re in my chamber.”

Hunk shot a curious glance toward Keith as he drank the water in the glass then grabbed a bottle of water and walked out of the kitchen with the water. He shifted the look to Coran who had turned around to listen to the conversation. When he caught Hunk’s eye he frowned slightly. Should he tell Hunk the secret the four had been keeping? It wasn’t his place but he wondered if Keith and Lance would ever tell the other Paladins of their status as soulmates.

“What’s up with them?” Coran turned around, his frown deepening. No, he couldn’t tell Hunk until Keith and Lance were ready.

“It’s not for me to say. If you want to know you’ll have to ask them.” He returned to stirring the pot in front of him, making sure that he didn’t burn it. Hunk frowned but turned back toward the counter to work on the next dish.

The door closed silently behind Keith. Lance was still curled up around his blanket on the bed, just as he had been when Keith left. The Galra set the water on his bedside table and took a seat next to the bed, positioning himself so that he could keep an eye on Lance. It was only then that he noticed Lance’s eyes were open. Lance was awake he just hadn’t moved from the position he was in. Keith smiled at the younger man.

“Are you feeling better?” Keith asked, reaching up to grab the bottle he had just put down along with the pills. Lance sat up once he realized what Keith was offering him and took the water with shaky hands. Though he shook, Lance didn’t spill any of the water as he popped the pills into his mouth, drank some of the water, and handed it back over to Keith. The Galra set it down again and turned his gaze back to Lance.

“Yeah, a bit hungry.” That was good. Keith stood up. “I don’t want to move though.”

“I’ll get you something. Hunk wanted me to let him know when you’re awake so that he could make you something. I’ll be right back.” Lance caught Keith’s hand before he could walk away. Keith looked over at him curiously.

“Stay. Eating can wait. I…” Keith’s gaze softened and he moved to sit on the bed next to Lance. “I missed you. Every day I was on Lotor’s ship and then on Bralae’s I hoped you would come for me. I knew it was stupid to hope but I wanted you so bad.” Keith pulled Lance into his arms and pressed a kiss to his temple. He raked his fingers through the tuffs of his hair that stuck out around his collar as he pulled him closer to his chest while hushing him. Lance was still shaking, though if that was the weakness in his limbs or because of how afraid he had been Keith couldn’t decipher. No, it was because he was crying. Keith’s shirt dampened from Lance’s tears but he didn’t care. He could change his shirt later if needed.

“You’re safe now. I’ve got you.” Keith made sure to keep his voice low so that he didn’t upset Lance more. He slid his hand down so that he could rest it against Lance’s soul mark as a way of comforting him. Lance was silent as he continued to cry. Occasionally, small sobs would escape him only to be muffled by Keith’s chest. Keith simply whispered sweet nothings into his ear while rubbing his thumb over Lance’s soul mark. He held Lance until he calmed down and pulled away.

“I haven't said it yet but I love when you do that.” Lance's voice was soft and quiet that Keith almost didn't hear him. That said a lot since he had better hearing than the other Paladins did. He didn't even know Lance could speak that low. It sent shivers down his spine.

“When I do what? What do you love, Lance?” Part of Keith was teasing him, but he was curious to know what Lance had meant. It brought him some sort of hope that Lance may feel the same as he did. They hadn’t talked about their relationship yet but Keith knew he was in love with Lance. It was still a different love than with Lancel – because while he had loved Lancel with his whole being their love had been based solely on a primal attraction. While he missed him and he grieved the loss of his life, Keith had never felt so determined to protect Lancel as he had with Lance. Both could take care of themselves, he had seen it first hand by both of them, but there was something about Lance that made him want to protect him with his life. Seeing him now, curled up in his arms with the remains of tear tracks on his cheeks, Keith’s heart tightened with the need to wipe the pain away.

“When you hold me. When you press your hand against my soul mark. The way you come to me when you need comforting and how you comfort me whenever I need it.” Lance had meant a lot of things when he said he loved what Keith was doing. Those were just a few things, and he struggled to put his feelings into words. “I love the way your ears twitch when you’re feeling a strong emotion, and how your hands swallow mine when you hold them. I love how your soul mark bleeds into your skin like a painting. Most importantly, I love…you. All of you.”

Keith heart seemed to beat faster at the words. His expression melted into shock as he stared at Lance. Those were words he had wanted to hear since he had realized he was in love with Lance, and now he was hearing them. Lance looked down, seemingly upset by Keith’s lack of response. He moved his hand so he was cupping Lance’s cheek and pulled his head up gently so they were looking at each other again. There were tears in Lance’s eyes once more and Keith wiped them away immediately. His own vision was blurred with tears he hadn’t realized welled up in his eyes. He didn’t wipe them away as he smiled down at Lance.

“Lance, I love you too.” He had planned on telling Lance how he felt since before Lance had been taken by Lotor, and his capture only escalated his need to tell him. Now he had finally gotten the opportunity, he felt lighter.

Lance leaned up and pulled Keith into a kiss. It was different than Keith’s first kiss with Lancel. That one had been soft and slow. This one was rough and needy. Lance wanted to tell Keith exactly how much he loved him through the kiss, much like Lancel had, but he was able to put more emotion in the kiss than Lancel had. Keith pulled Lance so he was flush against his body. They were as close as they could be with their clothes acting as a barrier. Lance’s hands were around Keith’s neck while Keith’s hands remained where they were. One was cupping Lance’s face and the other rested against his soul mark.

Lance pulled away first, his lips kiss bruised and his breath heavy. Keith hadn’t remembered closing his eyes but he opened them after Lance pulled away. While he had compared the beginning to Lancel’s kiss, Lance’s was different. He worked his tongue around Keith’s in a way Keith had never experienced before. Lancel was the only other person Keith had kissed before but even he couldn’t kiss like that. Lance tasted sweet, matching his scent as well. Keith couldn’t describe the way Lance smelled other than he smelled sweet and warm. It didn’t have to make sense to anyone but him, and he didn’t plan on telling anyone about it.

“I should have asked to do that, I’m sorry.” Sure Keith had kissed back, and they had each kissed other parts of their bodies, but this was different. This wasn’t a comfort attempt. When Lance had kissed Keith’s soul mark, it was to comfort both of them after a rough night. Keith often kissed Lance’s head to comfort him. It was intimate, but not as intimate as sharing a kiss with each other. He should have asked before he assumed Keith would have liked it. Keith shook his head at Lance and silenced him with another kiss. He offered him another gentle smile when he pulled away a few ticks later.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to kiss you. I’ll be honest, I wanted to kiss you when we were trapped on that underwater planet in the Blue Lion. I wanted to kiss you when I saw you in that cell on Bralae’s ship too. I want to be able to kiss you whenever I want, or whenever you want. Without having to ask.” Lance was smiling now and moved to rest his head against Keith’s shoulder.

“So you want to date.” Keith blinked and shrugged curiously. Lance let out a soft chuckle at the look on Keith’s face as his own head moved along with Keith’s body.

“I’m not sure what you mean by that. Is it like the Altean courting?” He almost rolled his eyes at his own question. Lance probably didn’t even know how Altean courting worked let alone if it was similar to what he was talking about. Maybe they would have to ask Allura to help them figure it out. Lance smiled. Keith had forgotten that his dreams were of their past together, and he did know what Altean courting was.

“It’s similar. I think the best way to describe it would be that it’s the courting without the supervision and required gift-giving, if my understanding from my dreams is correct. We would be in a relationship and we can make our own terms towards a mating or a union. On Earth we call that dating.” Lance hoped that made sense. He had never had to explain dating to someone before. Keith seemed to understand what he was trying to say as he nodded. The smile on his face was big and goofy. Lance lifted his head and looked at him curiously.

“Then yes, I want to date you, Lance. I want to date you until you decide that I’m enough for you and we can form a union. One day, I want to put my mating mark on you so the universe knows you’re with me.” Lance couldn’t help but laugh. It was light and he hadn’t meant any offense by it, so he hoped Keith didn’t think he was being rude.

“I want that too. My sister always tells me how happy she is with her husband and that’s something I’ve wanted since my parents divorced. You bring me that happiness.” Lance couldn’t say when he had fallen in love with Keith but he knew that his feelings were strong. The fact that Keith returned those feelings made him even happier.

“Rachel right? You talked about her before.” Keith remembered the night, even if he didn’t remember much about the conversation itself. Lance nodded, replacing his head where it had been against Keith’s shoulder.

“Yeah, she’s my oldest sister. Gave me a niece and two nephews. They brought momma and Luis over to live with them near the Garrison where Veronica works. We used to get together for dinner every Sunday night.” Keith sat there and listened, taking in all of the information that Lance was giving him. He was curious as to why Lance wasn’t speaking about his father but he assumed it had something to do with whatever divorce was.

“Sounds like your family is very close. I was only ever close to Bralae. I wasn’t very fond of my father and Lotor was born just before the war started.” Keith hadn’t talked about his family to Lance since that night Lance showed him his soul mark. He didn’t really like talking about them, because often their conversations were filled with tension and anger. They were far from a loving family. They were dysfunctional and broken. Keith had only experienced a loving family when he met Lancel.

Whatever Lance was going to say was cut off by his stomach growling. He hadn’t really eaten a lot before falling asleep earlier, and he had kept Keith from going to get him food when he initially woke up. It was Keith’s turn to laugh before he placed a light kiss against Lance’s lips and pulled away to stand up.

“I’ll be right back. Unless you want to come with me. Everyone is in the dining chamber talking to a couple of the rebels and a Blade member.” Keith wasn’t sure if he should tell Lance that it was Acxa the group were talking to. Keith hadn’t believed Acxa that much but he believed the man she had brought with him.

“I’ll go get my own food but I don’t want to interrupt anything. And…if it’s alright, I’d like to tell Hunk about us.” Keith nodded and reached out to pull Lance to his feet.

“Of course it’s okay with me. I don’t want to keep this a secret.” Lance smiled. Together, they left the room hand-in-hand and walked through the halls to the Kitchen.

Coran was no longer in the kitchen when Lance and Keith walked in but Hunk was still there. He was putting the finishing touches on what looked like a dessert. Hunk paused when he noticed them. His eyes widened when he saw their hands interlocked. He dropped the ingredients he had been holding and immediately rushed to pull Lance into a hug.

“Lance! I was getting worried. I set some food aside for you two. Let me heat it up!” He almost dropped Lance but thankfully Keith had grabbed his shoulders to steady him. As much as Hunk wanted to ask about it, he decided it was better to wait until Lance was ready to talk to bring it up. Lance confided in Hunk about everything. This would be no different, right?

“Calm down big guy. We aren’t in any sort of hurry. You can finish what you were doing, first.” Hunk paused as he reached for the covered plates but decided Lance would have told him if he needed to eat right away.

“If you want to wait in the dining chamber I think they’ve wrapped up what they were talking about. Allura and Krolia are taking Acxa into the city to speak with Ryner and the other rebels. I think Pidge, Shiro, and Matt are still in there with Commander Holt but everyone else has left.” Lance looked up at Keith when he heard Pidge’s dad’s name. He hadn’t known the names of the women who had tried to save him but he was sure one of the two was the woman Hunk mentioned.

“So they did make it off of Lotor’s ship. I’m glad.” He rubbed his shoulder as he thought about the pain from Zethrid’s shot that gave them the opportunity to escape. “What about the third one? There was another of Lotor’s generals that tried to help me escape.”

“Isn’t here. Acxa and Sam haven’t mentioned anyone else but it was only the two of them on the ship when the rebels surrounded Acxa.” Hunk shrugged as he put the last of the berries on top of the cake. Lance frowned and looked up at Keith. His shoulders were tense and he wasn’t looking at either of the two in the room with him.

If Acxa had brought one of the other generals with her when she left, where were they now? Why would she even bring anyone besides Commander Holt and Lance if she was a member of the Blade? Keith would have to ask her himself if he was going to get his answers.

Lance nudged him and Keith shook himself out of his thoughts. He smiled at Lance and nodded over at Hunk, an indication that now would be the time to tell the Yellow Paladin. Lance moved over towards Hunk, leaning against the counter next to his friend as he continued to work.

“So Hunk, I have something I want to tell you but I don’t want you to freak out, okay?” Hunk put the knife he had picked up to slice the cake back down and turned to his friend. Lance took a deep breath before lifting up his shirt to reveal his soul mark. He knew that everyone had seen Keith’s soul mark but Hunk hadn’t seen his. No one had except for Keith. Lance watched as Hunk’s eyes widened and he turned his gaze over to Keith, who had walked over to the two. Keith pulled his own shirt off to reveal his soul mark as well for comparison. Hunk looked between the two marks before finally looking up at Lance.

“Does this mean you two are..?” Hunk didn’t want to say the word. Since the moment he had laid eyes on Keith, they had all heard about how Allura’s brother was his soulmate and they had been in love. To see with his own eyes that Lance’s soul mark matched Keith’s was a shock.

“Soulmates, yes.” Keith was the one who replied. Hunk turned his gaze to the Galra. “We believe that Lance is the reincarnation of Lancel. I’ve heard of it happening before and…Haggar used to track down each of Lancel’s reincarnations to use against me while I was in captivity.”

“Is that why Lance’s hair is white now? Because of your soul marks?” Lance frowned as he patted his hair gently. Keith realized that Lance hadn’t seen his own hair yet so of course he didn’t know that his hair was different.

“Coran believes it was because he was hit by Haggar’s magic before we got there but it only would have done that if he had Altean blood in him.” They hadn’t talked about any of what happened to Lance on Lotor or Bralae’s ships yet. He wished he’d had that thought before they left to get food.

“None of that is the point. Hunk, you’re my best friend. I want you to be the first to know that Keith and I have decided to start a relationship.” Hunk was silent as he took all of the information in. Lance began getting nervous as seconds passed without a word from his friend. Hunk turned back to the cake and began slicing it.

“Have you thought about what you’re going to tell your mom when you bring a large purple alien home and tell her he’s your soulmate? Remember how she reacted to Rachel when she told her about Damien? If you thought that was bad just wait until you tell her about Keith.” Lance frowned. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. Part of him didn’t care how his mother would react, just as Rachel hadn’t, but he knew that if his mother didn’t accept Keith he would be heartbroken.

“Momma is just a little…prejudice. She came around to Damien eventually.” Lance had told Hunk about his parent’s divorce and how unsavory his father was as a person. He didn’t go into detail about what his father had done, only that his actions had torn the marriage apart. His mother had hated Damien with a passion when she first met him. It had taken nearly a year of Veronica and Lance backing Rachel up on her claims that he was a good person before she had accepted him into the family.

“Lance, your mother is more than a little prejudice. You have always been afraid to show your soul mark to anyone because you were afraid of how it would affect your mother. Now, I love your mom, she’s a great person and makes the best garlic knots. But you can’t ignore the fact that she has a thing against soulmates.” Keith remained quiet as Hunk and Lance talked but he felt himself frowning at the conversation. What could have happened between Lance’s parents for his mother to hate soulmates so much?

“Momma will understand.” Lance was fooling himself. He had ignored what his mind was saying and insisted things would work themselves out. Hunk frowned but didn’t argue against his friend. Lance knew his mother better than Hunk did, so maybe Lance was right. He finally pulled the plates of food he had set aside so he could heat them up.

“I support you both. I want that to be clear, I’m just looking out for you Lance. I know how much you love your family.” Lance smiled at his friend, thankful to hear those words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm updating early so that I can go on another hiatus. I'm going to be doing Kinktober in October and NaNoWriMo in November so I need to start planning for that now.  
> In between those challenges I'll be working on this story so hopefully in the new year I'll have more content to post.  
> Let me know what you thought! Thank you for reading! Thank you everyone for your patience :)
> 
> Edited 12/17/2020 for clarity


	18. Family Ties

Lotor scowled as he stared at the spot where one of his pods used to sit. He was down three generals, one of his prisoners had escaped, and he had gotten word from Haggar that the Paladins rescued the other. The comet was not on Vorama as he had expected when he returned from handing the Blue Paladin over to Haggar. He had left Zethrid with the Paladin and Haggar to make sure that his prisoner made it to his father and she had yet to return to him. Ezor and Acxa’s betrayal had blindsided him. The Prince had no idea what he was going to do now that his plan was falling apart.

“Narti, set a course for Daibazaal.” He needed to come up with another plan to enter the quintessence field now that he didn’t have the trans-reality comet. He shouldn’t have trusted Bralae to make sure Keith retrieved his comet. Now he had nothing to show for his hard work.

The trans-reality comet looked no different than any other comet or asteroid Ryner had ever seen. If she hadn’t been told what it was she would assume it was just another rock floating in space. Even the veins of shining space dust that carved trails throughout the comet were similar to others she had seen. Coran was on the other side of the comet, also examining the comet.

“Yep, this is definitely the same comet that King Alfor used to build Voltron. Well, not the exact same but the same type. We didn’t expect to find another trans-reality comet.” Coran remembered when King Alfor had sent a probe ship to try and track down another trans-reality comet that had showed up on his radar. They never heard from the probe team again but if Keith’s testimony was to be believed, the team had been caught between realities.

Coran glanced towards the wall where Allura, Keith, and Lance were standing. They had been back on Olkarion for just over a quintant. Earlier that morning, Lance and Keith told everyone what happened when they arrived on Vorama and everything that happened between then and when the Paladins arrived to save Lance. It hadn’t surprised Coran that Keith was willing to go through such measures as to collect the comet and hand it over to the very person who had taken Lance captive but it angered him. He had almost made their enemy stronger. It was luck that Lotor had left to bring Lance to Haggar before Keith returned. He knew that Keith, as any Galra, would have done anything to protect his mate, and for that he couldn’t get upset. Too much at least.

“Incredible. And what did you say Lotor planned on using this for?” Commander Holt was reading the energy outputs from the comet the Castle provided. Coran had already compared the energy readings to those from over ten thousand decaphoebs when King Alfor had brought the first comet to the Castle. They were the exact same.

“His plan was to build a set of ships that could transform similar to Voltron to allow him into the quintessence field that was created when Daibazaal was destroyed. Only ships made from that comet can enter the field.” Acxa was standing on the other side of the comet as Keith, next to Krolia. Romelle, Hunk, and Shiro were next to her. She was glad to hear that Lotor hadn’t gotten his hands on it.

“It wouldn’t have worked. It appears that when the Voltron was being built King Alfor altered the chemical make-up of the comet in order to break it down and mold it as he needed. If Lotor planned on making any ships out of this, he would have had to do the exact same alteration.” Pidge was reading something else next to their father. Coran nodded at the Paladin with a frown.

“Pidge is correct. I don’t think he ever documented what he did, however, so there’s no way for us to know what to do if we are going to break down the comet.” Coran agreed, looking up from the comet.

“Maybe we don’t need to break it down.” Ryner offered as she continued to study the comet. “You said the original comet landed on Daibazaal and opened a rift, correct? Why would Lotor want quintessence from that rift if he can get quintessence from any living thing?”

“It’s pure quintessence. He can’t get that from any living being. He’s tried before.” Acxa looked over towards Romelle, not sure she was ready to reveal to everyone else the truth behind her colony. Acxa had wanted to tell her before this, to sit down and speak with her about the fate of her mother and her brother, but things have moved quickly since she arrived on Olkarion. “Quintessence is altered as it’s taken from a person. An Altean’s quintessence is different than Galra quintessence, which is different from Human quintessence and Olkari, and so forth. His goal is to gather enough quintessence to cure his mother’s sickness.”

“Honerva is still alive?” This was the first Keith had heard of her continued life. Acxa looked down. Romelle’s expression had turned horrified as she realized what Acxa was implying.

“She is but she is also very sick. Zarkon wanted her dead as he blamed her people for the destruction of Daibazaal. Haggar hit her with strong magic.” Acxa had spent many decaphoebs working for Lotor. She drew on the knowledge she had pulled out of him to try and explain what Lotor was trying to accomplish. She only wished she could have stopped it all from happening.

“There is absolutely no evidence that Alteans were responsible for Daibazaal’s destruction. It could have been the rift that caused it, or another people. No offense, but the Galra have been known to make enemies even before the war began.” Allura’s tone was harsh as she shifted her gaze between the three Galra in the chamber.

“It was most likely the Reinzi. Zarkon had been fighting them for phoebs before the war began. I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to kill him by destroying the entire planet.” All eyes turned to Keith. Out of the group in front of him, only five knew definitively that Zarkon was his father but he knew the rest of the Paladins suspected it. Romelle, Matt, and Commander Holt were probably the only ones who didn’t know.

“The Reinzi were wiped out within the first decaphoeb of the war. How could they have possibly done that much damage to an entire planet? And why would they want Zarkon dead so bad?” Krolia was the only one who knew the history of what happened after the fall of Altea. Romelle hadn’t even known other species existed until she ended up in Ohnell’s dungeon. The Humans were still learning about the war and what caused it, and Acxa probably hadn’t been given a history lesson while she was in captivity or out of it. Much of the loss of life hadn’t been reported and documented so even Coran and Allura were in the dark about it. It seemed, there was much they didn’t know about the Empire before the war began either.

“I’m going to put this in the open now, so it doesn’t cause issues later. Zarkon is my father. After my first visit to Altea where I met Lancel, we were attacked by the asteroid belt that separated Daibazaal and Altea. It was the Reinzi.” There was silence in the room. Most were staring at Keith in shock, though those who knew of his relation to Zarkon weren’t shocked at all. It still didn’t explain why the Reinzi would start a war of this magnitude.

“But why would the Reinzi want to attack Daibazaal? Your army crushed theirs when they waged war on Rygnirath. They should know the Galra are stronger than them, even then.” Allura was the one to break the silence, keeping them on track of their current conversation.

“Decaphoebs before that, before Zarkon even took the throne as Emperor, my grandfather drove the Reinzi out of their home. They used to live on Daibazaal as well, alongside the Galra. The accounts as to why they were driven away differ. The official history is that the leader of the Reinzi started the war by holding my grandfather’s sister hostage. She died just after the Empire was established so we don’t know how true that is. Bralae used to insist the history we were taught was a front to keep the citizens from asking too many questions. My mother believed the same, was vocal about it, and was killed for her controversy. Zarkon made it seem like she had been sick and died from that.” Keith had only been a child, maybe eight decaphoebs old, when his mother was killed. Bralae had only been six. Their father had made them watch as she died. That was probably the first time Keith realized he hated his father.

“Then later, when the Reinzi kidnapped Prince Virin and started a short war with Rygnirath, my father sent Bralae and I there to defend Princess Marmora and the royal family. It was Bralae and I who fought their army and pushed them back until they surrendered after the leader of the army killed Virin. Most armies are incapable of remaining together without a capable leader. Bralae killed him in retaliation for Virin’s death. Turned out, that man was the son of the Reinzi chief. He put the blame on my father for the loss of his son rather than the one who actually killed him.” Bralae hadn’t even thought about the bloodshed. She had been willing to kill the entire army if necessary.

“Where does Lotor fit into all this?” Romelle asked, frowning as she absorbed the information. “I get why you betrayed Zarkon, and why Bralae helped us find Lance, but why is Lotor going to such lengths to gain quintessence when he could just get it from the Empire?”

“Lotor was born just before the war began. I can’t tell you what his relationship with Zarkon is but I doubt it’s good.” Keith realized he knew nothing about his younger brother other than he had kidnapped Lance.

“It’s not good. Emperor Zarkon banished him and took his title as crown prince away after he found out that he hid his mother away. He’s been trying to do things to regain his favor since, going so far as to bring valuable prisoners to Zarkon and Haggar to get information. His gathering of quintessence is only to serve himself and his goals. Honerva could stop the war. He said she used to be an Altean druid. He hoped she would be stronger than Haggar.” Acxa filled in the rest of the answer for Keith. “Part of his method was harvesting the quintessence of the remaining Alteans on Pollux. As his generals we were never allowed to step foot on Pollux or play any hand in the harvesting but that didn’t stop me from trying to help them get free whenever possible.”

“You watched my people be killed? And you did nothing?” Acxa looked down but it was Hunk who placed a comforting hand on Romelle’s shoulder after her outburst. She leaned into his touch and cried into his shoulder in agony.

“Kolivan told you not to help, didn’t he?” Krolia knew that sometimes Kolivan could lose focus of doing what was right and concentrated on gathering information for future operations. Usually one of the higher ranking members of the Blade would remind him what was needed.

“Kolivan only cared about information. He didn’t want me to expose my position as a spy. I did what I could without exposing myself. The Alteans I saved are hiding on various planets. I tried to get your mother out, to save her before Lotor decided to give her the same fate. I wasn’t fast enough and for that I’m sorry.” Romelle cried harder and Acxa felt Krolia put a hand on her shoulder in comfort as well. She leaned into the touch.

“It’s obvious Lotor is not going to be on our side. We will have to figure out a plan for him as well as Zarkon. Keith was right earlier. An army can’t keep in formation if they no longer have a leader.” Allura took control of the conversation. Keith frowned at her. She was underestimating the Empire and how soldiers were trained.

“So we cut off the head and the Empire falls. Sounds like a good plan to me.” Shiro replied, speaking up for the first time since Keith had mentioned the comet. Krolia and Keith shook their heads simultaneously.

“Doing so would put the Empire into disarray but then it’ll turn into a power grab. There are almost as many Commanders in the Empire as there are Blade of Marmora members. It’ll turn from a one against the universe war to an all-out war. There will be no collective Empire. If we are going to take out Zarkon we will need to replace him with someone who we trust to run the empire. Keith would be my choice, but that would mean he has to beat the other Commanders to light the Kral Zera. As the first born of the current Emperor, the Empire is most likely to accept him as their Emperor.” Keith frowned. He knew that logically, that made sense but he wasn’t sure he wanted to lead the Empire.

“They may also undermine me if I were to become Emperor. Right now, the Empire is loyal to Zarkon. If we want to end the war we have to make sure the Galras’ faith and trust in him is splintered.” Keith frowned, knowing the only way to convince the Galra to end the war was to prove that Zarkon wasn’t as trust worthy as they thought.

“How do we do that?” Lance had been quiet up until then as well. Keith nearly jumped when he heard his voice.

“Galra put their mates above all else. How do you think the Empire would react to finding out their Emperor had killed his first mate and tried to kill the second? Or the fact that he killed my first soulmate simply because he was Altean?” Keith had no issue using his losses as a way of revealing how debauched his father truly was.

“To do that, you would need Honerva to be on your side and well enough to fight.” Krolia turned to look at Acxa. “Do you know where she is?”

“I have an idea but it won’t be easy to get to her. Lotor hid her in a Galaxy the Empire hadn’t yet reached. Now, there is a Galra presence but it isn’t heavy. It would take time for Drus to gather enough back up to attack. He’s an exploration Commander. From what I heard he failed in collecting the Yellow Lion from its hiding place even after it had left the planet’s surface.” Lotor had only told Acxa so much about how the Voltron Lions were found so she didn’t realize that the four Human Paladins had already met the Commander.

“That means Honerva is in the Milky Way! That’s almost like going home!” Pidge was excited as they looked around at their friends and family. Matt and Shiro were amused by the youngest Paladin’s antics. “Do you know exactly where in the Galaxy she’s hidden in?”

“I have coordinates. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t moved her, however.” Acxa had gotten the coordinates from Lotor’s ship the last time he had gone to visit his mother. She doubted Lotor even knew that she had the coordinates but she had seen how paranoid he could be.

“Let’s set about finding Honerva and we can decide what our next move will be after that. Ryner, would you like to take the comet so you can study it more?” Ryner shook her head at Allura’s suggestion.

“It’ll be safer with you. If Lotor catches wind that we are here he may come looking for the comet. The last thing we need is for him to get his hands on the comet. I would like to take all the data we’ve gathered to see what we can do with the comet. Maybe there’s something in its readings that will help us with our plans.” Coran gathered all of the readings and data they had gathered of the comet and handed it over to Ryner. Acxa followed Allura out to give her the coordinates to track the route towards Honerva.

Keith glanced over at Romelle, who had finally pulled away from Hunk, and frowned. She had just learned that her people had been systematically killed for their life force and her only remaining family was her father. He was surprised that she was handling it so well. It didn’t stop him from feeling guilty at the fact that it was his father who had placed her people in such a situation and his brother who had done them so much harm.

“If we’re going home, or even close to home, I should return to Earth.” Commander Holt stated, grabbing everyone’s attention.

“What, no, dad we need you!” Pidge was the first to argue against their father leaving. They knew that their father would be able to help with the war efforts and any sort of technology or engineering they needed help with. Just as he was doing with the comet.

“You guys are fighting the war out here but Earth is defenseless and has no idea that war is coming. I’m needed at home more than I’m needed here.” Sam leaned down until he was eye level with Pidge. “You and your brother are intelligent. With the help of Ryner and Coran you can do anything you put your minds to.”

“But…we just found you.” Tears welled up in Pidge’s eyes as Matt put a heavy hand on their shoulder. Pidge looked up at their brother with a frown.

“Dad’s right, Pidge. We’ll be here to fight the battle out here. Let’s leave Earth in Dad’s hands.” Pidge didn’t like it but agreed. They wanted to be with their family, it was the entire reason they had entered the Yellow Lion in the first place. They had been tracking the Galra movements as best they could through the radio chatter just to find their family.

“We can make a stop by Earth after we collect Honerva. Maybe that will give us a chance to get the Galra off our trail for a bit while we plan our next move.” Coran stated, as he finished gathering the last of the reports to give to Ryner.

“And we can see our families! We can let them know that we aren’t dead!” Hunk exclaimed, excited at the thought of seeing his family again. He hadn’t been able to see his family since the last free day they had before leaving Earth. That meant it had been almost a year since he had seen his mother.

“Let’s focus on getting Honerva first. Then we can stop by your home.” Krolia didn’t want to upset them by keeping them on track, but they had to keep planning and working on ending the war. She knew better than to say that their families would be there, in case the Galra got there before they did. Or if they had already been there. She knew better than anyone that not every planet conquered was reported over the radio for all to know. She hoped Commander Drus hadn’t made it back to Earth yet now that there wasn’t as much of a need to invade.

“Krolia is right. We need to focus on our plan before we go home.” Shiro knew better than to suggest they don’t return to Earth just yet. All of them missed their families, he knew that, but he worried that going would lead the Galra straight to their home. Maybe he could suggest they make video diaries Sam could take to their families instead. Already, they made video diaries just in case. What was another one specifically for their families?

Ryner had left already with all of the data they had gathered. Krolia had gone with her to speak with Ulaz and Slegirs. The coordinates led to an asteroid among what Earth scientists called the Carina-Sagittarius Arm. There was a system there circulating a Blue-White star on almost the complete opposite side of the galaxy as Earth. For many of them, this was a chance to explore a part of their own galaxy that their own ships were unable to reach. They would be leaving as soon as Krolia returned.

Lance felt excited at the thought of seeing parts of his home Galaxy that no one else had explored yet. He had seen so many parts of the universe that he hadn’t even known existed until the last six or seven months. That alone had been exciting but getting to explore any part of the Galaxy he had learned about growing up garnered all of his excitement.

“Lance?” Shiro’s voice pulled Lance out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Shiro standing by the couch he was sitting on. The thought of going home had distracted him. He didn’t even realize that Shiro had entered the lounge. He was alone while Keith spoke to Romelle in private. Everyone else was preparing the castle and themselves for the trip to the Milky Way. The previous day, Hunk had mentioned how his family would react to his relationship to Keith but he had thought he had enough time to figure it out before that day would come. He couldn’t keep the rest of the Paladins from seeing their families just because he wasn’t prepared to see his mother.

“Shiro? Would it be terrible of me to not want to see my family?” Shiro frowned as he took a seat next to Lance on the couch. Lance realized how that may have sounded and backtracked. “Don’t get me wrong I love them but…my momma isn’t very accepting of soulmates. I’ve never even shown her my soul mark. How is she going to react to Keith?”

Shiro was confused by that. He had a feeling something was going on with Lance and Keith but he had no evidence to back it up. Lance’s words implied that he and Keith were soulmates. Given how they clicked immediately when they met, Shiro wouldn’t be surprised in the least. “Are you two…?”

“We’re soulmates.” Lance realized they still hadn’t told anyone other than Hunk about their soul marks or their relationship. “He found out just after we returned from the Balmera. Last night we decided to start a relationship.”

“I’m happy for you. Is that why you’re worried about your mother?” Shiro wasn’t lying about feeling happy for them, but he still didn’t understand why Lance wouldn’t want to see his mother.

“My parents divorced when I was ten. My dad wasn’t a good guy. Momma thought she had to be with him because they were soulmates. He ended up hurting her and many of my siblings just because he could. When Momma found out about the pain he was putting us in, she filed for divorce. She would warn us against meeting our soulmates because she swore it would only hurt us. It took her almost two years for her to warm up to Rachel’s soulmate Damien.” Shiro had no idea that Lance had been through so much already. Now he was in the middle of a universal war that he had nothing to do with him. “Not to mention the fact that I look different now. Coran believes I’m the reincarnation of Allura’s brother. Given how my appearance has changed, I have to agree. I don’t even know if Momma would recognize me.”

“Then don’t go home. There’s nothing saying you have to see your family if you’re not ready. If you want, I can drop off a letter or a video diary if you would like so they know you’re at least alive. You’re already under a lot of stress as it is. I’m sure your family will understand one day.” Shiro hadn’t meant to have Lance spill his secrets but now that it happened he wasn’t going to ignore it. “I actually think it would be a good idea if everyone recorded a video to send to Earth in case we don’t make a stop there.”

Lance nodded but didn’t shift from his position curled up on the couch. They all had families on Earth missing them, except for maybe Shiro. From what Lance knew about him, Shiro had no living family left but he didn’t know if he had a significant other waiting for him.

“Thanks Shiro.” Shiro offered him a comforting squeeze of his shoulder before standing up and leaving the room.

When he heard Lance talk about his insecurities about seeing his family and explaining his relationship with Keith to then, Hunk immediately felt terrible for his earlier interrogation about the very subject. Lance had probably thought about that long before his relationship with Keith even started and Hunk had brought it up without even thinking about the consequences. If he was being honest with himself, he hadn’t heard a lot about Lance’s father before this except that he had hurt Lance and his family. He also knew was that he and his sister didn’t talk about the man. Really, all he knew was that Lance’s mother was definitely a strong and sometimes harsh woman who had no problem disciplining her children if needed. He knew his siblings were just as strong. Lance came from a family of strong willed people.

Hunk was just outside the door leading into the lounge when Shiro walked out. He glanced back to see Lance in the same position as the door closed, separating them. He turned back to Hunk and nodded his head towards the hall so they could speak in private. Hunk probably heard his conversation with Lance but that didn’t mean Lance needed to hear theirs. Hunk was silent as they walked down the hall towards the dining chamber.

“You really think we shouldn’t stop at Earth?” Hunk asked after a few minutes of silence. Shiro sighed.

“I fear that we may lead the Galra right to Earth if we do. I’m not saying it’ll happen or that we won’t be able to land on Earth I just want us to be prepared.” Hunk nodded in understanding. They reached the dining chamber and entered. Thankfully, it was empty.

“Lance told you about his parents.” It wasn’t a question. Shiro knew Hunk had heard them. He nodded anyway.

“He did. I can understand his reluctance to visit his family now that he’s found his soulmate. I think it would make sense for him to wait.” Shiro’s own parents hadn’t been soulmates but he knew they hoped he found someone to love. Regardless if that person was his soulmate or not. He couldn’t understand why anyone would be against their children finding happiness.

“His father’s actions did a number on his mother’s faith in soulmates.” Hunk had seen firsthand how hard Lance’s mother took the divorce. “Just yesterday he swore his mother would accept Keith. He knows what the likelihood of that happening is. I wish there was something we could do to help him but there isn’t. He has to take that step on his own and he’ll have to be prepared to fight for his relationship if he does. I just wish I hadn’t brought it up without showing support for their relationship.”

“What about you, are you excited to see your family?” Shiro asked, changing the subject from Lance and his family problems to Hunk’s family. Hunk smiled at the Black Paladin as he took a seat at the table.

“Yeah, I am. My family was about to move near the Garrison to be closer to me when we found you and the Yellow Lion. Mostly, I just want them to know that I’m still alive.” Shiro understood that better than any of them. He had been held captive by the Galra for over a year and even when he had returned to Earth, the Garrison didn’t give him the chance to tell anyone that he was alive – that Matt and Sam had still been in captivity. Then he was shot into space again. He knew that if they did return home, he would only have Colleen there waiting for him. Adam wouldn’t be waiting for him. They mutually broke their relationship off just before the launch of the Kerberos mission. At the time, Shiro had hoped that he could use the Kerberos mission to get to know Matt better, after he had seen his soul mark on his wrist. It wasn’t like Matt had tried to hide it and when Shiro saw it, he knew it wouldn’t be fair to Adam to keep up the relationship. They weren’t soulmates but had found companionship in each other. Now, Shiro almost regretted breaking things off with him.

Idly, Shiro wondered what the Garrison was telling their families. Pidge had told him that Admiral Sanda had told them and their mother that the Kerberos mission failed due to pilot error and that all three of them were believed to be dead. They probably said the same thing when the three students went missing. He frowned at that. If the Garrison had taken his words as a caution then maybe they would be preparing for war. Shiro doubted it.

Romelle had listened to everything Keith told her, from how he had almost died on Altea next to his soulmate to being held by his father and the Galra army until Lance and the Paladins saved him. How he hadn’t even known Lotor was still alive but if he had been, he would have investigated to see if he was loyal to Zarkon or to the Alteans. She watched as he sank to his knees and cried while apologizing to her for something that wasn’t his fault. She put her hand on top of his head to gather his attention.

“I will mourn the loss of my people and my family, but what happened isn’t your fault. You are not guilty just because you are related to Zarkon and Lotor. I can see you are fighting to stop this war. Hunk and Krolia have told me all about how you fought the odds and survived ten thousand decaphoebs of torture to land yourself here and you still fight. I am not mad at you. I am not even mad that you kept your relation to Zarkon secret. I’m mad at Lotor and anyone who helped him hurt my people. I’m angry at Acxa for not stopping him but I’ll get over it, because it’s not her fault either.” Romelle had been through a lot since her eldest brother died, maybe not what Allura, Coran, or Keith had been through since the war started but she had learned how to forgive. She forgave her uncle for his role in Avok’s death.

Acxa stood around the corner of the hallway where Romelle and Keith were talking. She had wanted to speak to Romelle about what happened to her family but Keith had gotten there first. It made sense. He probably carried a lot of guilt about what his own family had done. She understood that. Acxa felt guilty over the fact that she had followed Kolivan’s orders to not do anything instead of helping the Alteans when she discovered them.

“Acxa?” Krolia’s voice was soft enough to keep the two around the corner from hearing her but loud enough to grab Acxa’s attention. The woman looked over at the elder and frowned at her.

“Why do I feel so guilty for following orders? If I had acted on my instincts rather than Kolivan’s orders could I have saved Romelle’s family?” Acxa hadn’t cried since she first was taken captive by Sendak twenty-four decaphoebs ago. Even that had been staged and she had allowed Kolivan to use her for whatever he had needed. Part of her regretted it – she had only been sixteen decaphoebs old at the time. She felt herself lucky when Lotor had pulled her out of the cell and asked her to be one of his generals. She was crying now. Krolia pulled her into a hug.

“Your feelings are valid. You did as you were told and doing so hurt many other people. Had you acted, Lotor would have discovered you and would have killed you. Or he would have taken you as a concubine. You know as well as I that Lotor’s morals are skewed.” Krolia had not been happy when Kolivan assigned Acxa to work under Lotor. She hadn’t trusted the man from the day she met him. She had tried to keep Acxa out of her lifestyle, out of the war in general, but when her father died, Krolia had no choice but to take Acxa with her on her Blade missions. One of those was to investigate the resurgence of Altean quintessence appearing in the Empire. Krolia had connected it to Lotor and had met with him to question him where he had been supervising a newly captured planet. She had left Acxa on the ship but somehow Lotor had known about her anyway.

“Thank you for vouching for me. I’m not sure Kolivan wouldn’t send me right back to Zarkon for messing up his plans if I had returned to him.” Krolia frowned as Acxa pulled away from her.

“You’re my daughter, I’m not going to leave you when you need me. Besides, we can do a lot of good with the information you have from Lotor’s ship.” Krolia looked at the empty intersection of the hallway that separated them from Romelle and Keith. “Maybe you should keep the details of Queen Orla and Prince Bandor’s deaths to yourself unless Romelle asks you directly. She’s willing to forgive you, you just have to give her time to mourn.”

Acxa allowed her mother to guide her down the hall she had come from. Krolia was right, she had to give the Alteans time to grieve and mourn before she tried to make things right. She had to be patient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving to anyone reading this in the US! And I hope everyone is being safe and taking care of themselves.
> 
> Edited 12/17/2020 for clarity


	19. Missing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back to normal updates! thank you everyone for your patience with this story. I hope you enjoyed :)

Commander Mitch Iverson hated politics. He had joined the Garrison only so he could have a way of easily searching for the woman his brother had loved and the daughter they’d had together. He hadn’t believed in aliens until he had met the little girl and saw the picture of her mother. When his brother had died twenty-six years ago, the child disappeared seemingly overnight. Iverson had planned on taking her in, but he couldn’t find her. No one had even been aware that his brother had a child until Iverson brought it up.

When the Garrison had lost touch with the members of the Kerberos mission, Iverson had a feeling that it was much more than pilot error. Takashi Shirogane was one of the best pilots the Garrison had, if not the best, and something seemed off about the way he returned. Then, Shirogane and three of his students disappeared from the desert in a giant yellow robotic lion. He was the one who had to deal with the fall out of those students disappearing.

Admiral Sanda wanted him to tell the families of those students that the Garrison considered them AWOL and they would have charges brought up against them as soon as they were found. Iverson refused. The students weren’t the best Iverson had ever taught but they weren’t criminals. McClain struggled to keep up his grades, Garrett had an issue with motion sickness and over eating, and Gunderson was parading around the school as someone they weren’t. They had their issues but they weren’t bad kids. Lance just wanted to explore space and be someone his mother could be proud of. Veronica had screamed at Iverson when he first told her that Lance was missing, telling him how important being in the Garrison was for Lance. Hunk had joined the Garrison to follow in his father’s footsteps but instead of being a pilot like Commander Garrett he went into engineering. And he was a brilliant student despite his faults. He would have made a great engineer if he hadn’t been paired with Lance McClain and Katie Holt. Speaking of Katie, had her father and brother not gone missing on the Kerberos mission, she would have gotten into the Garrison through her intellect alone. She still did get in through her intellect but she had to pretend to be someone completely different simply because she wouldn’t give up her search for them. He knew it was her when she had first applied as Pidge Gunderson but decided not to out her since he had already been forced to ban her from Garrison property. If she was willing to break the law to figure out what happened to her family he wouldn’t stop her. He also wanted to know what happened to them.

The first stop for him was the remaining Holt member. Colleen Holt lived in the middle of the city nearest to the Garrison. It was maybe a forty-five minute drive from the Garrison to Colleen’s house. The woman allowed him in her house but he knew it wasn’t welcoming. She’d lost both her son and husband in one incident and now he was bringing her more bad news. He would be surprised if she didn’t sue the Garrison for endangering her family in such a way. She offered him coffee, which he took gratefully.

“Are you aware that your daughter assumed a different identity to gain admission into the Garrison?” Colleen didn’t reply as she sipped at her coffee. There was a frown on her lips while she stared at him. There was no easy way for him to talk about the subject.

“I was aware she had entered the Garrison and that she cut her hair to look like her brother’s, but no, I was not aware she had assumed a different identity.” Colleen had the feeling that was the case, however, when her daughter had neglected seeing her when she had a free day.

“She along with her two teammates disappeared seven months ago, as I’m sure you are aware. Admiral Sanda wants me to say that she will be brought up on charges of abandonment as soon as she is found.” Colleen opened her mouth to protest. Iverson stopped her. “I refuse to sugar coat anything. You daughter broke the law by assuming a different identity while she applied for admission. However, I also saw the intelligence she displayed through her grades and classes. It would be a mistake to keep her from returning to the Garrison if she so choses when she returns home.”

“What do you mean return home? Do you know where she is?” Colleen asked, hope filling her voice. She needed to know where her daughter was. First she had lost her husband and son, she couldn’t lose her daughter as well. Katie was all she had left.

“Not exactly. The day she disappeared, myself and one of our officers witnessed a mechanical lion flying through the desert and then shoot up into the atmosphere. Admiral Sanda wants this to be kept a secret but I disagree. You deserve to know what happened to your daughter. I believe she is in space, probably searching for your husband and son as well. As soon as we hear from her I will let you know and try to get you in touch with her.”

“How do you know she didn’t die when she entered the atmosphere? I am the wife and mother of two engineers. I know what happens when a vessel enters the atmosphere that isn’t prepared for the pressure. How do you know she’s still alive?” Colleen frowned with worry as she set her cup down.

“We would have found remains of the lion if it crashed. There has been no sightings of the Lion in the seven months since her disappearance. The Garrison keeps a lot of secrets, and one of them was that Takashi Shirogane, the pilot from the Kerberos mission returned to Earth the night before Katie’s disappearance. He tried to warn us about an alien race heading towards Earth to either conquer or destroy us but I was unable to get to him to ask him about it before your daughter and her team broke him out of quarantine. He disappeared with all three students.” Iverson drank from his cup for the first time since he had been given it.

“Do you believe him?” She wasn’t looking at him but Iverson could hear the disbelief. He pulled the picture he had kept of his brother and his family out of his pocket and handed it to her. He had the video of the Yellow Lion’s take off from Earth but he had a feeling she wouldn’t believe it as much as she would the picture.

“I do. Years ago, my brother fell in love with an alien and had a child. Both the woman and the child disappeared after my brother died in a fire. They lived in Texas. I haven’t heard from her since and I’ve been trying to find her since I joined the Garrison. What little Shirogane said about the aliens tells me they are from the same race.” Colleen examined the picture before handing it back to him.

“If you hear from my family, let me know immediately.” Colleen watched as Iverson finished his coffee and stood up. He could see her determined expression as she stared at him. She had no means to search for her family but he did. He wouldn’t keep her out of the loop in his investigation. Not so long as he could keep the information quiet.

“You have my word. Unfortunately, I have to cut this visit short. I have two more families to visit.”

Iverson had to drive almost the entire forty-five minutes back towards the Garrison before he was close to the Garrett family. According to the information he had received from Admiral Sanda, the family had moved near the Garrison from Samoa just a week after Hunk went missing. Iverson hadn’t had the chance to speak with them yet but he knew that one of the other officers had informed them of their son’s status as missing.

He knocked on the door without hesitation after he parked his car and walked up to the door. The woman who opened the door resembled Cadet Garrett so much Iverson knew that she was his mother. She eyed him suspiciously until she noticed what his uniform was. Her gaze snapped up to him and she frowned.

“May I help you?” Iverson knew that Mrs. Garrett would be hesitant about talking to him, especially since he knew that whatever information she had received about her son’s disappearance would have been limited.

“I am Commander Iverson. I am in charge of the training facility for the Garrison that your son attended. I have information you will want to hear. May I come in?” If the door had been slammed in his face, Iverson wouldn’t have been surprised in the slightest. Instead, Clarissa Garrett pulled the door open wider and stepped back to allow Iverson inside. The door closed behind him softly. He followed the woman through the front of the house until they reached the dining room. The table was large, understandably since there were a number of them if the pictures lining the walls said anything.

Clarissa offered him a drink, which Iverson accepted gratefully. It got really hot in the desert, and the bottle of water he had in his car was almost as hot as the air outside. He sat across the woman at the table and took a sip of the water before clearing his throat to prepare himself for what he was about to tell her. Colleen had been easy. Iverson had met her before and he had known her husband and son for years before they had disappeared. He had been the one to tell her that those on the mission were presumed dead. She was angry but reasonable. However, he had never met Clarissa or any of the Garrett family before. He didn’t know how they would react to the information he was going to tell them. A young man, presumably Cadet Garrett’s older brother if Iverson had to guess, walked in and sat next to Clarissa.

“As I’m sure you are aware, your son, Hunk, disappeared seven months ago. My superior officers want me to tell you that if or when we find your son, he is to be charged with abandonment of duty. Officially, that is where the Garrison stands on all three students who went missing seven months ago.” Iverson paused to take another sip of water. The young man jumped out of his seat.

“That’s a load of bull! My brother is missing and the Garrison wants to send him to jail instead of focusing on finding him?!” Clarissa pulled her son back down and hissed at him to be quiet. Iverson could understand the outrage and if it had been his own family he would react the same way. This was one of the many things he disagreed with the Garrison about. The man looked like he was going to argue before Clarissa gave him a pointed stare.

“Let the man finish Andrew!” She turned her attention from her son to Iverson, nodding at him to continue. Iverson cleared his throat again.

“The Garrison does not want the other students or any other younger officers to think they can get away with leaving without a discharge. However, there are many of us who are searching for the missing students to clear their names. I am one of them. I believe your son is no longer on Earth, and he is in fact out in space. The night before his disappearance, the pilot of the Kerberos mission returned to Earth on an alien ship and Hunk, along with his team helped Senior Officer Takashi Shirogane escape the quarantine we put him in. The next morning we saw a mechanical lion flying around in the direction they had ran off to which then flew up into the atmosphere.” Iverson hadn’t broken eye contact with Clarissa since he started speaking.

“That sounds insane.” Andrew replied with a frown. Iverson expected the disbelief. He almost didn’t believe it. Iverson pulled out his tablet, loaded the video they had taken, and passed it over to the two.

“I’m aware. That’s why I came prepared.” He played the video for them. As it continued he watched as their expressions change. He knew the video didn’t prove that Hunk was in the lion when it left the planet but it did give credit to the story he told them.

“And you believe that Hunk was in that…lion?” Andrew asked as he looked up from the tablet. Iverson nodded, taking the tablet back and swiping over to a picture that had been taken the evening the lion disappeared.

“That was the direction Hunk and the other cadets fled after breaking Shirogane out of quarantine. After this video was shot, our officers swept over those formations in search of all four of them. The only trace we found was a formation that looked like it had been blown up, the bike they used to escape in, and a piece of the clothing Shirogane returned in. That is the only evidence we have that the four were there.” He showed them the picture, the hole in the formation, before swiping over to the next picture of the cloth they found. The next video he had, he knew he wasn’t supposed to release or show to anyone outside of the Senior Officers in the Garrison. Still, he swiped over to it.

“Is that…?” Clarissa gasped at the image of Shirogane strapped to the examination table on the left side of the screen and the outside of the facility on the right. She glanced up at him and he nodded grimly.

“This is the surveillance footage of the night Shirogane returned.” He pressed play. The two watched as the pilot was strapped down to the examination table, even as he fought and tried to warn them of the aliens who had captured him, before Hunk and his teammates arrived to break him out. The videos side by side showed how Shirogane was broken out of the facility and the taller of the group drive them away, towards the exact direction Iverson had said. Iverson had made sure the video was cut before it could show the teachers giving chase. None of the families needed to see that.

“This video alone would be enough to bring Hunk and his teammates up on charges, but I am more concerned with their safety than this one act of treason. I want you to know, I’m looking for your son and when I find him, I will do everything in my power to protect him from the charges the Admiral wants to bring him up on. Cadet Garrett deserves to finish his education as an engineer. He’s intelligent and resourceful. One action doesn’t deserve for his life to be ruined.” Iverson could see hope filling their eyes, and he knew he had done his job. He stood and put the tablet away. “I apologize for making this short. I have one more family to meet with today. If I hear anything from or about your son I will be sure to inform you.”

Clarissa walked Iverson out. She didn’t close the door until he was in his car and already driving away. His last stop was the McClain household. He had purposely waited until Senior Officer Analyst Veronica McClain would be off work and on her way home. Iverson waited for her at the gate leading to the rest of the Garrison. She stopped next to him and got out of her car when he knocked on her window.

“Commander Iverson, sir, what can I do for you?” Ever the professional, Veronica spoke to him as she would any other commander. She hadn’t been under his command since she graduated the Garrison but she was respectful and more professional than even some of his coworkers and still referred to him by his rank even outside of work. If only her brother could have been as respectful.

“I would like to speak to you and your family about Cadet McClain’s disappearance.” Veronica frowned but nodded and returned to her car. Iverson returned to his own and followed her out to her family’s home. Out of each of the three families, the McClain’s were the only ones who he couldn’t keep this from. Eventually, one of the officers would tell Veronica about the Admiral’s decision. And she’d throw a fit

Iverson followed Veronica into the house and paused at the doorway. He had been the one to inform the McClain family about Lance McClain’s disappearance. That was the first and only time before this that he had seen the McClain household. It felt only right that he was the one to tell them about Admiral Sanda’s decision.

“Commander Iverson, what a surprise! Please, join us for dinner!” Maria McClain was a short woman who Iverson knew had raised her five children by herself since most were young. From what he remembered of his last visit Lance was the second to youngest of the children.

“I’m here to speak to you about your son’s disappearance. This may not be a conversation you want to have over dinner.” Maria McClain didn’t take no for an answer and soon Iverson was rushed over to the dinner table and seated between the two eldest McClain children. Veronica was across from him, in between a man who looked nothing like the other McClain children and her youngest brother. Maria had an empty chair at the head of the table for herself. The two youngest were sat next to each other on the other end of the table. Iverson knew them as Veronica’s niece and nephew. This was not a conversation Iverson wanted to have with the two young children in the room.

Maria served dinner to everyone and small talk began around the table. Veronica was kind enough to remind Iverson of everyone’s names and he learned more about the family than he had expected to. Like the fact that Marco, the eldest son, was planning on proposing to his girlfriend, Lisa. Or that Rachel and Damien, the man who didn’t look like the rest of the family, were thinking of having another baby. Luis, the youngest son, was deciding where he wanted to go to school, whether he wanted to enter the Garrison like his brother and sister did or go somewhere else. Maria urged him to go to the Garrison, even though his brother had gone missing from there only seven months prior. While he was grateful for her continued support and faith in the Garrison, he hoped she wouldn’t force her son to enter if he didn’t want to.

After their plates were clean and cleared from the table, Damien took the two children out of the room so the rest of them could talk. Rachel moved to sit next to Veronica while Luis sat in one of the chairs the children had been sitting in. Iverson cleared his throat before he began. He was wrong earlier when he thought that Colleen Holt or the Garrett family would be hard to speak to. This was going to be harder.

“I want to start by saying I disagree with what Admiral Sanda wants me to tell you. The official position the Garrison is taking on the disappearance of Cadet McClain and his team is that they have abandoned their duty as cadets of the Galaxy Garrison. As such, if and when they are found they are to be brought up on abandonment charges. However, it is my belief and other officers under my command that they have not abandoned their duty.” Iverson paused to allow the information to sink in. He could see a frown on Veronica’s expression as she stared at him with that same level of professionalism she held at work. Luis, Marco, and Rachel also frowned but Iverson had a feeling they would be screaming at him if not for Maria’s stern expression.

“The night before they disappeared Takashi Shirogane, the pilot of the Kerberos mission that was declared a failure last year, returned to Earth in an alien spacecraft. He tried to warn us of a coming attack but our medics did not listen as they put him in quarantine. Cadet McClain led his team on a rescue mission to retrieve Shirogane from the quarantine facility and out into the desert. Myself and other officers gave chase but lost them before we could catch up. The next morning, we saw a mechanical lion flying around from the same direction they went. The lion went into space, and I believe that Lance and his friends were on it. We never recovered the remains of the lion or any proof that it crashed.” He pulled up the same videos he showed the Garretts and allowed the family to watch them, explaining all the evidence they had that the cadets were still alive.

“If my brother returns, will you bring charges on him, as Admiral Sanda wants?” It was Veronica who spoke first. He could hear her anger in her voice but she masked it very well. That was what had made her such a great officer. She never let her emotions get the better of her.

“I refuse. Your brother may not be the best pilot in his class but he has potential to be a great pilot. I will do everything in my power to keep him in the pilot program and out of prison.” That seemed to satisfy Veronica and Maria both as they relaxed. Even the boys calmed down. Rachel was still glaring at him.

“And if you can’t?” Veronica and Lance were her closest siblings. She cared about them deeply. Veronica may trust the Commander but Rachel didn’t. She wouldn’t until Lance was home safely.

“Then I won’t stop until his name, as well as his teammates’ names are clear. Helping another officer is what we strive to teach our cadets. He may have broken Shirogane out of the containment facility but he has done nothing else wrong to warrant such charges.” Rachel remained hesitant until Veronica placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Commander Iverson knows what he’s talking about. If he says that Lance has potential and he’ll do anything he can to keep him in the pilot program, he will do it. Please, have faith.” Hearing Veronica defend him made Iverson relax some. Veronica hadn’t reacted to her brother’s disappearance the way the other officers believed she should but they all knew she was upset.

“If we receive any information about Lance or hear from him I will come to you immediately. Unless you have any other questions, I must get back to the Garrison. I have papers to grade.” Veronica and Maria walked Iverson to the door. He removed his hat and bowed to the two women. “Thank you for dinner. I am sorry I couldn’t bring better news.”

“You are welcome. Just please, bring my son home to me.” Maria’s voice was pleading and Iverson knew he couldn’t let her down. He nodded at her request and left the house.

Lotor had only been one or two decaphoebs old when he had last been to Daibazaal. Needless to say, he didn’t remember what his home world once looked like. He knew it wasn’t this, however. The planet itself looked lifeless with the hole in the center and chunks of terrain floating around it. Without the trans-reality comet, Lotor wouldn’t be able to enter the quintessence field. He needed to think of a way to track the Paladins and get the comet in his possession. He’d spent most of his life searching for a way to heal his mother and put an end to the war.

The dirt and rubble crunched under his boots as he walked across the expanse of the abandoned planet. After ten thousand decaphoebs, the little remains of the Galran civilization were buried under debris and ash from the explosion that broke the planet apart. Lotor hadn’t bothered to dig any of the ruins up in his various trips to the planet. All he cared about was getting into the quintessence field. With that quintessence he could save his mother. He could stop his father. He may even be able to take the throne to end the war. It was a perfect plan but one out of reach for him now.

Lotor paused at the edge of the rift leading into the field. If his information was correct, this was where his father’s Palace once stood. The place his mother and father fell in love and married. Seeing the place he had been born sitting empty, no signs of life remaining, was bittersweet. He held no memories of his life there and yet he wished he could see it as his mother had. Lotor stared down at the white glow of the field. He returned time after time in hopes that the field or the planet itself would help him figure out what to do. This time was no different than the last six. He had gotten all the answers he could from Daibazaal.

Lotor turned away from the light and returned the way he had come. Narti and her cat stood by his ship patiently. As he walked up the ramp, he stopped and turned towards her. If she could see he knew she would be staring back at her. Instead it was her cat’s eyes he was met with.

“Next time we return here, I will enter that field.” Narti made no comment as he finished walking up the steps. He wouldn’t return to Daibazaal until he had his hands on the comet and could enter the field. That meant he needed to find the Paladins. Quickly. The last thing he needed was for them to know what they had in their possession. The trans-reality comet could do many things, including closing the field, if only used correctly. That was the opposite of what Lotor wanted.

The door closed behind Narti and Lotor commanded their leave. His ship ascended, leaving the remains of a planet long deceased. His only hope for finding the Voltron Paladins was his father’s witch. For that, he needed to return to his sister’s ship where Haggar last posted herself.

Lance sat in front of the camera with a nervous frown. He knew that his family needed to hear directly from him what had happened in the seven months he had been in space, but since he doubted he would get to see them if they returned to Earth, he decided explaining everything in a video would be better than nothing. With Pidge’s help, he made an edit of the video diaries he had already created so that his family could see that he was still thinking about him before he made one to end it, bringing them all up to date on what they were up to as Paladins of Voltron.

Now, he needed to figure out how to tell his family about his relationship with Keith. He still hadn’t told Pidge, Allura, or Coran about their relationship but he felt it would be easier if he already admitted it to his family. He took a deep breath. If he didn’t think about it, he would be able to do it. Patience yields focus. That was what Shiro was always telling them.

The longer he spoke the easier it was for him to explain all that had happened. He explained Coran’s theory of him being reincarnated and how his soul mark matched with Keith’s. In one of his earliest videos he had explained who Keith was but Lance wasn’t sure if he had added that into the edit of the diaries, so he gave a summary of who Keith was, as well as Coran and Allura. He continued talking, saying anything that came to his mind in relation to Keith or being a Paladin. Finally, he said the thing that had been looming over him since he and Keith decided to begin a relationship. He admitted how scared he was that his family wouldn’t approve of his relationship and how much he loved Keith. The confession hit him hard. He knew that he loved Keith but admitting it to the very people – even if they weren’t in front of them – who would judge him the harshest made him realize how much he had been willing to be disowned by his family for Keith. Hopefully, it didn’t come down to that. The thought was terrifying. He didn’t want to lose his family, but he also didn’t want to lose Keith.

Lance cut the video feed off and curled into himself to allow his emotions to rack his body. Before he knew it, Keith was next to him with his arms around his shoulders. There were no words between them, and for that, Lance was thankful. Right now, he just needed to get his emotions out before he tried to talk about it.

Bralae frowned when her younger brother’s face left her viewing screen. The witch had left a quintant ago. Commander Thace still held Zethrid in her prison cells until Bralae could interrogate her properly. Lotor arriving on her ship would only make her goals harder to achieve. Kolivan wasn’t answering her. Bralae had planned on returning to the Blades’ base in order to find out what was wrong but now she couldn’t. Turning away from the console she looked to Commander Thace.

“My brother will be here soon. Before he arrives I would like for you to leave and head for the base of the Blades. There is something wrong with Kolivan. Find out. Return when you figure it out.” Commander Thace offered no objections and simply nodded. He turned away to prepare himself as Bralae thought through her next steps. She would have to meet her elder brother and the Paladins if Kolivan was going to act on his own. She would have to come clean about starting the Blades and take over command once again. First, she needed to entertain Lotor until he left her ship again.

Lotor arrived on her ship a varga and a half after Thace left. She wouldn’t be able to get in touch with him while her brother was on her ship. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to put up with him for long.

“Bralae,” Lotor greeted as he stepped off his ship. No one followed him, suspiciously enough, but Bralae made no comment. It wasn’t her business what Lotor’s generals did.

“Lotor. What can I do for you today?” She was being polite only so she didn’t have to deal with his attitude more than needed. Her brother only laughed.

“I am here to speak with Haggar. I must find the Voltron Paladins and I know she knows how.” Bralae kept her expression neutral. Lotor hadn’t given a reason for why he needed the Paladins but she had a feeling it wasn’t for anything good.

“I’m sorry to inform you that Haggar has returned to Father’s ship already. If you had told me that was why you were coming when you called I could have saved you a trip.” Bralae knew that had Lotor told her why he was visiting and Haggar didn’t want to speak to him she would have left anyway. Lotor knew that as well. Haggar was not the type to be cornered into anything. Bralae knew if she were to dethrone her father she would have to get rid of the witch first. That was where her planning was currently focusing on.

“Then perhaps you can help me find them.” She wasn’t going to help Lotor find their brother, no matter what he threatened. The door to Lotor’s ship opened again before Bralae could respond. A soldier stood at the top of the ramp, catching Bralae’s attention and causing Lotor to look behind him.

“Sir, we’ve gotten an alert that someone has entered the facility on Gilcox-83, it looks like the Voltron Paladins.” The soldier stated, pulling a growl from Lotor. Bralae snapped her gaze back to her brother.

“It looks like you found the Paladins. Tell me, Lotor, what’s on Gilcox-83?” Lotor didn’t respond as he turned away and returned to his ship. That was fine with Bralae. Bralae already knew what, or rather who, Lotor was hiding on Gilcox-83. She had been the one to hide them. As soon as Lotor’s ship was away from hers, she turned and made her way back to the bridge. She needed to get in contact with Keith before Lotor caught up to him and his team.


	20. Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a bit of smut at the end of this, I have cut it off by a dashed line if you don't want to read it.

The asteroid they were set to land on wasn’t as interesting as the rest of the Carina-Sagittarius Arm was. Pidge had pulled up an image of the Milky Way Galaxy to give everyone an idea where they were going in relation to where Earth was. The star cluster they were headed to had no name on Earth. It wasn’t even known. The cluster hadn’t shown up on any images as of yet. They were the first humans to explore it. Well, they had been the first humans to explore outside of the solar system as well but it felt more real to Lance as they had exited the wormhole at the edge of the territory of the Carina-Sagittarius Arm. Allura had been afraid that opening a wormhole directly next to the asteroid would alert anyone near it and since they couldn’t scan the surrounding of the asteroid until they were closer, it was safer to fly there slowly. That served the four humans just fine.

Shiro and Pidge pointed out constellations as they passed them. Or at least, pieces of them. Commander Holt had explained that the star of the cluster they were visiting was part of the Perseus constellation. In theory, they would see the constellation but not as they knew it. Lance found it both strange and incredible to see the constellations he had learned about growing up this close. They had always been visible only through pictures and the lenses of a telescope. To Keith, these were just planets, asteroids and moons. What Shiro and Pidge were pointing out were no different than any other star cluster they had been to. Allura and Acxa seemed to agree.

Lance asked Pidge to pull up a picture of the Perseus constellation so he could explain why it was so incredible for the four of them. Allura had frowned when the two Paladins showed it to her. It still didn’t make sense to her.

“We’ve only ever seen these constellations with the help of telescopes and digital imaging software. No one on Earth has seen the constellations we know of this close up. The fact that we’re only going to see a small part of the Perseus constellation is incredible because we’re seeing it up close. For us, this is something we hadn’t even thought possible. The Kerberos mission was the farthest anyone from Earth had been before we arrived on Arus. Our ships wouldn’t have been able to make it that far.” Lance tried to explain but it was hard to explain to people who had been exploring space their entire lives.

“That is the sixth star in Perseus.” Sam pointed out as they passed by the star. They had to move quickly so they didn’t get pulled into the gravitational pull. The star passed the Castle quickly and soon it was only a distant glow behind them.

Keith glanced over to Lance only to see his awe-struck expression. He supposed if he thought about it, he could understand what Lance was experiencing. Keith had been amazed the first time he had left Daibazaal’s atmosphere. Even if he had spent most of his time going between Daibazaal, different battlefields, and Altea, Keith still found the beauty of space. To see Lance enjoying the beauty for himself put a smile on his own face.

“How far until we reach the asteroid?” Romelle asked, tearing her gaze away from the emptiness in front of her and over to Krolia.

“About two vargas. We should slow down soon to make sure that no one is around the asteroid. If Lotor is hiding Honerva there, it is likely he has some sort of guard there.” Krolia was standing in front of the only console in the room. Allura agreed with her and left the chamber. A couple of dobashes later, the Castle slowed its pace.

“Everyone should get ready to disembark. We’ll take the Lions down to avoid drawing any sort of attention.” Shiro commanded, gaining everyone’s attention. None of the Paladins were wearing their armor. They had been more distracted by the view than the task of finding Honerva. Lance wasn’t ready to leave the observation deck but Keith pulled him out of the chamber, gently. As the two walked down the hall to the chamber their armor was stored in, Lance intertwined their fingers. Keith smiled and gave Lance’s hand a gentle squeeze. He didn’t really care who knew about their relationship. He still hadn’t talked about it with Allura or Coran yet, but he knew they would support him. They dressed quickly before walking back to the bridge.

“We are clear. As far as our scanners can tell, there is no one guarding the asteroid. We haven’t been able to pick up any lifeforms on the asteroid itself but if Lotor wanted to keep this a secret he may have used a cloaking technology. We should continue to be careful as we approach.” Coran addressed the entire group as he pulled up the scans of the asteroid. On the scans they could see the facility Acxa swore Honerva was hidden in. No other buildings or life forms were around the building.

“Keith, Pidge, I’d like for you two to go first. Hunk, Lance, and I will follow. If anything looks wrong, let us know and get out of there.” Shiro took over the planning. “If everything goes well, we’ll land on the west side of the facility. From there, we’ll split up and search the facility. If you run into any trouble or you find Honerva let everyone else know.”

“What if we don’t find her there? What’s to say Lotor hasn’t already moved her?” Hunk asked, asking the question that nagged at them all. Keith frowned.

“We’ll just have to go and look. We won’t know until we’re in there. This may be a turning point in the war for us if we can find Honerva and get her to help us. Not looking because we aren’t sure she’s there is giving up on the universe before we can try.” Lance’s words did little to give the rest of them hope or lift their spirits but it motivated them to do what they needed to. He was right. They were at war and if they could find someone to help them put an end to it, they owed it to the entire universe to try.

“Let’s go. Allura, please keep the Castle as close as you can but don’t hesitate to retreat back if anyone shows up.” Allura nodded at Shiro’s request and watched as the Paladins entered their own tunnels to head to their Lions. Keith and Pidge took the lead as the five Lions exited the hangars and flew toward the asteroid. Lance and Hunk were behind them with Shiro taking the rear.

“All looks good so far.” Keith stated over the comms. All five were being cautious and going slow as they approached the asteroid. Just as Shiro commandeered earlier, they landed on the west side of the facility and exited their Lions. It was quiet on the asteroid. The only sound that Keith could hear was the low hum of the facility.

“Keith and I will check the East side. Lance, check the South. Hunk, check the North. Pidge, take the west. Remember, keep in contact.” It wasn’t ideal, especially since they had just got Lance back from the last time they had split up, but the facility was too large for them to check together. The team split up with no argument. Hunk followed Keith and Shiro to the other side of the facility, splitting off from them when he saw the entrance to the North side of the building.

Both Paladins were quiet as they entered the farthest door of the facility. Everything was silent. Even as they walked the empty halls, the building was near silent. To Shiro, it looked like the facility had been abandoned long ago yet the hum they heard as they walked was ever present. It seemed strange to him that this wasn’t a well maintained facility since it was supposed to be where Lotor kept his mother hidden.

“Think we’ve got the wrong place?” Keith asked, as if he could read Shiro’s mind. Shiro looked over at him with a frown.

“Hard saying. Something works in this building but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s for Honerva.” Maybe Acxa had gotten the coordinates mixed up. Maybe she had lied to them in the first place and this was all just a ploy to gain their trust and set a trap for Lotor to find them. Maybe Lotor had lied about the coordinates to Acxa in anticipation of her betrayal. Shiro didn’t want to say any of that just in case it offended Keith. He didn’t know what their relationship was but it was better safe than sorry. Keith and Acxa had barely said two words to each other, and Shiro knew that at one point Keith had been angry at her but it was hard to determine if that anger stemmed from a relationship they had before Lance’s capture or because of her actions during and after Lance’s capture.

“A part of me hopes she’s here. It would be nice to see her again. At the same time I’m not sure I want her to know the pain of this war.” Keith had hoped that his sister had died so she didn’t have to deal with the heartbreak and pain of the war, yet he had been so happy to see her. Keith hadn’t even admitted to Lance or Allura how much he had wished he had died with Lancel. He was still hesitant to admit it because he was in love with Lance. His desire to end the war escalated when he learned they were soulmates and his wish to die disintegrated. He couldn’t keep thinking like that, however. He couldn’t keep hoping that people he knew before the war were dead now so they could be spared the pain he felt.

“Were you close to Honerva? I assume if she is Lotor’s mother and Zarkon’s wife or lover or whatever, you two spent time together.” Shiro couldn’t imagine Zarkon loving anyone, especially after hearing what he had done to his first soulmate. That didn’t mean it wasn’t possible and he had loved Honerva. The two paused as they came to a fork in the halls. Until then, there were nothing more than the empty room they walked into and plain walls as they walked through the hallways. This was the first the halls split off. Keith frowned.

“She was like a second mother to me. I spent a lot of time with her before I first visited Altea and met Lancel. She taught me a lot. She’s the one who told me the likelihood that Lancel and I could have been soulmates before we confirmed it.” Keith replied, turning to take the right hallway. Shiro turned to the left.

“We’ll find her, Keith. If she’s still alive, we’ll find her.” Shiro’s words did little to comfort Keith but he nodded his agreement, nonetheless. They split then, going down the separate hallways. Shiro’s footsteps grew quieter as Keith moved further down the hall. The humming, which had been dull, grew louder. He knew he had passed the source when the hum grew quieter again. He backtracked until he noticed a door that seemed to blend into the rest of the wall. Every other door he had passed were open.

There was no handle or knob to open the door. No keypad or scanner to use. Keith pushed against the door a bit, trying to see if it would move. Finally, when he realized there was no forcing it, he summons his bayard and slashed through the metal. It was loud and he probably should have warned the others what he was doing in case they heard it. Still, he was in the room and what he saw was worth the noise.

“Did anyone make that noise?” Lance asked over the comms. Maybe the noise was louder than Keith had thought. It didn’t matter to him now. There, in the middle of the room was a bed. On the bed lay the figure of someone Keith wasn’t sure he would ever see again.

“It was me. I found someone. It’s not Honerva but it is someone that could be of use to us.” Keith approached the bed slowly. Even though the person was in front of him, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

Her skin wasn’t the vibrant yellow it used to be. Her hair was matted with blood and matted in a messy braid. She looked thinner than she had the last Keith had seen her. The only way he knew who lay in front of him was because of the soul mark on her right shoulder. The symbol in the center of the blade was what the Blade of Marmora had in their own. There was no way any of them would have known what it stood for but Keith did. Keith opened a comm channel with the Castle.

“Allura, get a second healing pod ready. I found someone else.” He wasn’t ready to say her name. Not until he knew she could be healed. Gently, Keith unhooked her from the machines and tubes and wrapped her in the thin blanket on the floor next to the bed. He picked her up and immediately began backtracking his steps. He needed to get her to his Lion before they were caught. Though, if they hadn’t been caught with the noise Keith had made breaking the door down there likely wasn’t anyone stationed there.

“I’ve got Honerva…or at least I think it’s Honerva.” Lance’s voice filled the comm channel as Keith left the building. Being stealthy was no longer the objective.

“Alright, everyone return to your Lions.” Shiro ordered as Keith rounded the corner. He passed the door Hunk had gone through maybe fifteen dobashes prior. That meant he was halfway to his Lion.

“What if there’s someone else here? Shouldn’t we keep looking?” Hunk’s words brought silence. Keith didn’t stop even if Hunk’s words did bring a new worry to him. If someone he swore he had seen die was in his arms, then who else could Lotor be hiding?

“My scanners aren’t picking up any other life forms inside the building besides us. I’m assuming Keith is already outside since I can’t pick him up on the scanners.” Pidge added, giving cause for Keith to relax. He was almost to his Lion now. He carried the unconscious woman into the cockpit and set her down as gently as he could. By the time he left the Lion again, the rest of the Paladins were gathered outside and Lance was holding another woman in his arms.

“This is Honerva, right?” Lance asked as he shifted to show Keith the woman’s face. Keith nodded when he saw her. Little had changed in the ten thousand years since Keith last saw her. Her hair was still long but thinner and white rather than the dark brown it used to be. Her eye scales were still red but now they were longer, almost like they were tracking the trails of her tears. Her skin was the same light brown but she no longer held her youthful appearance. It was unsurprising given how long it had been since he last saw her. On her wrist Keith could see the soul mark he had grown to hate.

“That’s her.” He tore his eyes off of the black and red Galra war helmet he knew signified his father and turned to Shiro.

“I’ve already asked Allura to set up the healing pods. She should be waiting for our return.” Shiro nodded and turned his head to address the rest of the group.

“Let’s get back. The less time we spend here the better for us,” Shiro ordered. He was right, they all knew it, but that didn’t mean Hunk felt okay just leaving. He glanced back at the building before moving to the Yellow Lion. Lance had already entered the Blue Lion and Pidge was making their way to the Green Lion when Keith walked into the Red Lion. Keith was the first to leave the surface, with Shiro being the last to leave behind Hunk.

Docking in Blue’s Hangar, Lance was only mildly surprised to see Coran and Acxa waiting for him. Carefully, he picked Honerva up and carried her out of Blue. Acxa seemed incredibly relieved that they had actually found her but she didn’t say anything to him as he passed her. Coran lead the way to the infirmary, though at this point Lance was certain he could walk the path in his sleep.

There were two healing pods prepared, just as Keith had asked, when Lance walked into the chamber. No one else was there yet. Lance couldn’t say he was surprised. Keith had also found someone and that was almost more interesting than the woman Lance held in his arms. He stepped toward the pods.

“Now, the healing pod may not cure whatever illness she has but it will give us an idea what’s wrong with her.” Coran explained as Lance set Honerva down in the pod. He stepped back just as Keith walked into the room with another woman. Allura, Shiro, and Hunk were behind him as he stepped up to the second pod. The glass slid down and the pod began the freezing process before Lance could get a good look at her.

“Was that…?” Coran looked like he had seen a ghost. Allura and Keith did as well. Lance was curious but he knew eventually they would tell the rest of them who it was.

“We believe so. We should wait until we get a medical report from the pod before taking any action.” Allura spoke for her and Keith both. Pidge and Matt walked in before anyone could respond to Allura. The urgent expression on their faces implied that something was concerning and drew all of their attention.

“Bralae is on the comms! She said Lotor is on his way to our location right now.” Pidge spoke quickly. Thankfully, Lance had nearly a year to get used to how they fast they spoke to understand what was being said. Shiro seemed to understand it as well.

“How did he even know we were here?” Shiro asked as he followed Matt out of the chamber. Keith was right on his heels. Lance didn’t mean to glance over at Acxa but his eyes drifted to her as he followed behind Keith. He looked away before she noticed him but that didn’t make him feel any better about the sense of doubt that flashed through him. He didn’t want to be suspicious of Acxa but he couldn’t help the thought as it raced through his mind.

“Apparently there were alarms in the building and they alerted him when we walked in. Bralae didn’t say how long it would take for him to get here but we should leave as soon as possible.” Matt explained. Everyone had filed out of the infirmary after them in a hurry. Allura pushed her way to the front to take the lead. They needed her quintessence to leave and she wasn’t going to waste time asking questions if they were in danger of being found.

Allura was the first to enter the bridge where Commander Holt was standing in front of the viewing screen. The comm channel was no longer open, leaving the screen blank. Allura moved to the teleduv – as Lance was finally told the name of the console – and Coran moved to the main console.

“Coran, put the coordinates of Earth in. We’ll get as close as we can to drop Commander Holt off. I’m sorry, Paladins, I know you wanted to visit your families but it isn’t safe. Lotor will likely search the entire Galaxy for us. Your planet will be safer if we drop Commander Holt off and leave immediately.” As soon as the coordinates were entered, Allura opened a wormhole. Shiro followed the Holt family out of the chamber. Lance knew that Shiro had already collected the videos they made for home so he was likely giving them to Commander Holt to send to their families.

“We’ll get to go home one day. I know we will.” Hunk replied once the four were gone. Lance nodded his agreement, though he strained to keep his disappointment at bay. He hadn’t been sure if he wanted to visit his family but now that he didn’t have the option, he realized how much he missed his family. While Hunk was right, they would get to go home one day, that didn’t mean Lance had to be happy about it. He shouldn’t complain, however. He knew that Keith, Allura, and Coran couldn’t return home. Even when the war ended they wouldn’t be able to return home ever again.

“Let’s go see Commander Holt off.” Allura suggested as they exited the wormhole. They were hidden among Saturn’s rings rather than near Earth but Lance supposed that made sense. If they were worried about Lotor finding them the further away from Earth they were the better. Lance was the first to leave the bridge. Keith and Hunk were right behind him.

“You know, as upset as I am about not being able to see my family, it is really cool to see Saturn’s rings up close like this. And we got to see a part of our Galaxy no other human has before.” Hunk stated as they walked. It was like he was trying to find the bright side of not visiting his family. None of them could blame him. Lance himself was trying to do the same internally, telling himself that he had sent a video explaining as much as he could to them so they knew not only that he was alive but also that he was doing something worthwhile.

“True, with my record as a cadet we probably would have never made it far into space. Think Iverson would pass us if he saw how we piloted the Lions?” All Lance could do was joke about his abilities as a pilot. He used to call himself the best pilot of his class but after seeing Shiro and Keith pilot, he knew he was wrong. He’d grown a lot as a person and as a pilot since he had become a Paladin but he still wasn’t at their level. He probably never would be. It had taken him much of the last seven months to come to terms with that.

“He better. I wasn’t even in the pilot’s program and I could probably pass those simulations.” Lance let out a small laugh at Hunk’s reply. He knew as well as Hunk did that they most likely wouldn’t be given a free pass just because they were Voltron Paladins. Even if they did stop the war.

Commander Holt was walking out of a pod when the group walked in. It looked to Lance like he had just finished loading the pod up for his trip as the closed. Shiro, Pidge, and Matt were crowded around the cargo hold of the pod. Lance, Keith, and Hunk stopped next to them. Allura, Coran, and Romelle were bridging the gap between the Paladins and Krolia and Acxa who stood across from them.

“I’ll make sure that your families get the videos. I’ll contact you all as soon as I can. I’m sure the Garrison will want proof about the existence of Voltron.” Commander Holt seemed sad about leaving his children, for that Lance understood the desire to remain with family, but he still hugged each of them goodbye. Including Shiro. Lance leaned slightly into Keith as he watched the family send Commander Holt off with well wishes. Coran stepped forward and held out what looked like a thumb drive.

“This is a copy of the schematics for the Castle of Lions and all of the information we have in our database. I want you to have this in case anything happens to the Castle. Use it as you need while building Earth’s defenses.” Commander Holt took the thumb drive and put it in his pocket for safety. Allura was the next to step forward.

“I’m sorry that we couldn’t get you closer to Earth but in an effort to keep your planet safe we’ve stayed back a bit. The pod should get you there in a few ticks, a dobash at most.” Commander Holt nodded his understanding. Lance knew they were just putting off his departure. The longer they hid there the more likely they were to be found by Lotor. Or the Galra ship that had originally chased them from Earth. Commander Holt seemed to understand that as well. He hugged his children once more and thanked them all for rescuing him.

“Good luck out there. Stay as safe as you can and I will see you all soon.” With those words, Commander Holt turned and entered the pod. The pod rolled up to the first door of the hangar. The group watched as Commander Holt left the hangar and the Castle all together. When the pod was no longer in their sight, the group dispersed. Lance didn’t know where they were going and he didn’t really care.

This was a mess. Bralae hadn’t been sure at first when she ordered Thace to make a trip to the Blade headquarters to check on Kolivan that something was truly wrong. She hadn’t felt right when she couldn’t get a hold of him. With Thace’s report, she knew that her instinct was correct. She frowned at the screen in front of her. There was only one thing she could do now, but even that wouldn’t solve this mess. Ultimately it was her own fault. If she hadn’t given Gartenna control over the Blade she could have continued doing what she needed in order to end this war for good. It would have been more work, but she knew it would’ve been worth it.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t just leave her ship with no commander. She was sure her father would question her if she continued to leave without providing reason. She needed to figure out a way of disposing of Kolivan and taking charge of the Blade. She could run the Blade from her ship but only if Thace was on her side. With him, they could reprogram the sentries to keep their secrets, and replace any soldiers she had there who weren’t willing to align themselves with the Blade.

 _“I spoke to many members of the Blade. They’ve overheard or found other evidence of Kolivan’s betrayal. He’s working with Haggar to destroy any sort of resistance against the Empire. It appears he has suppressed every mention of the origins of the Blade from the most recent members. It’ll be hard to convince the others you are the founder of the Blade.”_ Thace continued to speak even with Bralae deep in thought. She snapped out of those thoughts and focused back on Thace.

“The best option is for me to retake control over the Blade. To do that, we will have to get rid of Kolivan. Gartenna once put our history into a single file, and I believe she made backups of it. If you can find that we can prove I am the founder and rightful leader. Ask around and see if anyone would be willing to help you with that.” Thace would be doing all the hard work in terms of ridding the Blade of the corrupt leader. Bralae didn’t plan on just sitting back and letting him do all the work, however. “I will see if I can’t find out what Haggar knows about the Blade.”

Thace agreed and cut the channel. Bralae frowned as she attempted to trace Kolivan’s movements. If he was working with Haggar, something told her that they would have had to meet at some point. Hopefully, she could track his quintessence to see where he had been recently.

Instead of going to the bridge, Lance broke away and headed up to the Observation Deck. Keith followed him. Lance sat in the corner by the largest window on the left side of the chamber. Keith sat next to him. Neither spoke for a while as they watched the view outside. Keith had to admit, even if he hadn’t known about the planet and it didn’t spark the same amazement in him as it did with Lance, it was still a stunning sight.

“How far have humans explored into your Galaxy?” Keith had never been to the Galaxy before then and he was curious about Lance’s home. They had talked about Altea and Daibazaal before, and they had spent much of the last seven phoebs exploring other galaxies. While Keith had asked about Lance’s family before, he hadn’t really asked about his home. He didn’t even know if Cuba was the name of a city, town, or kingdom.

“Saturn is the sixth planet in our system. Pluto used to be the ninth before it was demoted to a dwarf planet. One of its moons, Kerberos, is the farthest we’ve explored. It’s practically the edge of the system. We’ve been to Mars, our third planet, and many moons closer to Earth but only once to Kerberos. That’s where Shiro, Matt, and Commander Holt were originally kidnapped from.” Lance shifted so he was leaning against Keith’s chest. He felt Keith wrap his arm around his waist. It was almost sobering to think that over a year and a half ago, Shiro was pulled into the war they now fought and Pidge had lost most of their family. They were both silent as they watched Saturn disappear. Allura had opened a wormhole to bring them further away from Lotor. Lance almost frowned at the thought of leaving home. He wasn’t even home.

“Keith?” Lance could almost feel Keith’s eyes shift down to him as he called for his attention. “Is it bad of me to not want to see my family right now? I mean, I miss them but…I’m not sure I’m ready to see them yet. I feel I’m going to let them down somehow. I mean, I couldn’t even pass the simulator at the Garrison. Veronica is an analyst and she’s made it to a senior officer. I’m just a fuck up who barely kept his spot in the fighter class.”

Keith let Lance speak without interrupting him. It was obvious these thoughts had been bothering him since the first mention of going to Earth. All he did as Lance let his thoughts out was to tighten his arm around him to mimic a squeeze. He wanted to comfort Lance the way Lance had comforted him when he needed it.

He wouldn’t pretend to know what the Garrison was or what the simulator at the Garrison was. Keith assumed it was some sort of test to do with being a pilot but he was still confused about it. One day he would have to ask Lance about it, but now was not the right moment. Right now, Lance needed to know he was loved. He needed to know that he had done nothing wrong that would let his family down.

“I don’t think I’m the right person to ask about that. I would have willingly abandoned my family on Daibazaal to stay on Altea if the war hadn’t started. I’m actively fighting against my father and will likely have to kill him. However, if you’re not ready to see them then that’s fine. Sometimes we set goals we think will made our families proud but we don’t need to do that to be accepted. Your family sounds like they love you. I’m sure your mom will be proud of whatever you’ve accomplished. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t reached the goals you were working on. Right now, you’re protecting the entire universe. If you still think your family will only approve of you if you achieve your first goal, you can go back to it after this is over.” He didn’t know if his words made Lance feel any better but he could feel him relax against him.

“Thanks Keith. I guess…I just want to live up to my potential. Marco is a police officer, Rachel has her kids, and Veronica is an analyst. I was supposed to be a pilot. You’re right. I’m fighting for the universe right now. That’s better than being a pilot.” Keith smiled and almost let out a chuckle but held it back.

“You are a pilot, Lance. Maybe not in the same capacity you expected but you are a pilot. Allura and Coran may call you the Blue Paladin, but that is the same as being the Pilot of the Blue Lion. You’re piloting something that no one else can pilot. Not me, not Shiro, not Hunk or Pidge, no one. I’d say that’s pretty impressive.” Lance looked up at him with a small smile. Keith could tell that the words made him feel better about himself. The smaller teen leaned up to pull Keith down into a kiss. Keith craned his neck down to meet the kiss. Just as the first time they had kissed, sparks tingled at his lips and he kept like he could become addicted to Lance’s kiss. It was over before Keith was ready for it to be.

“You’re trying real hard to make me feel better, aren’t you?” Lance’s voice was teasing as he stared up at Keith. His eyes sparkled with mischief. Keith smirked back at him.

“Would it surprise you to know I don’t like seeing you so down? Maybe I enjoy your smile more than your frown.” Keith leaned down and nipped gently, as gently as he could anyway, at Lance’s ear. He didn’t want to hurt him. Honestly, Keith wasn’t even sure that Lance would like it but he remembered how Lancel would react to the action. He felt a shiver run down Lance’s spine as he arched into the touch. His lips were sealed shut but that didn’t stop a moan from rumbling in his chest. Lance’s hand gripped at Keith’s arm. It shocked him that one small action could send pleasure through his body as much as it did. Was this what he got for playing with Keith’s ears so much?

“Keith…” It came out as a moan more than an actual word. Keith felt something stirring in his stomach at the sound. He had never been more intimate with Lancel past the occasional heavy make out session. Keith had respected Lancel’s boundaries and honored the fact that they hadn’t finished the courting. They had made the decision to complete the Galra mating when they had completed the courtship and entered into a union. He and Lance hadn’t discussed that yet but Keith wanted more than this from him.

“We should go somewhere more private. Somewhere the others can’t walk in on us.” The feeling of Keith’s breath on his ear sent more shivers down Lance’s spine. He didn’t fight as Keith pulled him onto his feet and guided him out of the chamber. That one action, Keith’s teeth on his ear, turned him on more than he had ever though any action could. He couldn’t get to Keith’s room fast enough. His flight suit felt too tight and too hot. Lance wanted it and his armor off.

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Keith was pushed up against the door as soon as it closed behind him. Lance’s mouth was pressed against his, sucking in his moan from the display of strength Lance showed. Lance was shorter than him by maybe a few inches but that didn’t stop him from holding Keith against the door and trapping him with his arms. Not that Keith wanted to leave. He hadn’t been able to admit before when he woke up with Lance pressed against him, but now he could. He enjoyed feeling Lance’s body pressed against his.

Lance broke away from the kiss, panting harshly through flushed lips and looking up at Keith under hooded lids. Keith himself felt his chest heave from the lack of air but he didn’t mind it as he smiled down at Lance.

“Wanna feel you.” Lances words were low as if he was afraid to say them but they stirred arousal in Keith again. He groaned deep in his throat as he processed what Lance said. As Lance pressed himself even more against Keith, he could feel the bulge in his pants nestled against his thigh. One of Lance’s hands slid down to cup Keith’s own erection. Lance had never been so thankful that the armor didn’t cover that part of their bodies. “Wanna feel all of you.”

“Quiznack…” Keith hit his head on the door as he leaned into Lance’s touch. He wanted that as well. Keith desperately needed out of his armor and flight suit. He needed Lance out of the armor and flight suit just as desperately. He reached up to start pulling Lance’s chest plate off, causing him to back up and remove his hand from Keith.

Keith wasted no time in stripping Lance of his armor. He reached behind the smaller teen to grip the zipper and pull it down. The flight suit peeled away to reveal Lance’s silky smooth skin. That was a sight Keith would never get tired of seeing. Now that there was nothing between Keith and his view of Lance’s body, he eagerly soaked up the sight. Lance stepped out of the suit and reached for Keith’s armor. The Galra let Lance strip his armor off just as he had done. When Lance reached up to unzip his suit, Keith pulled him into a kiss. The zipper was slowly pulled down as Keith returned the kiss.

Lance maneuvered Keith’s arms out of the fabric and down to his waist. He moaned as he felt his bare chest press against Keith’s skin. Keith swallowed the moan down as he rested his hands on Lance’s hips. Gently, he urged Lance backwards toward the bed. Lance sat down once his legs hit the mattress. Keith leaned down to keep the kiss connected. Lance’s arms wrapped around Keith’s neck and slid his tongue against Keith’s lips. Keith opened his mouth immediately and met Lance’s intrusion with his own tongue. Both moaned at the feeling. Keith pressed himself closer despite his awkward stance.

Lance pulled away from the kiss and slid one of his hands down the expanse of Keith’s chest. He lightly traced the soul mark that bound them together before sliding over to his scar. Keith shivered at the touch but didn’t pull away. He had been uncomfortable about his scars, even though none of the Paladins or their allies had made any comments or jesters about them. Lance actively appreciated his scars. This wasn’t the first time Lance had traced either of his scars, but now that they were in a relationship it felt more intimate. Keith nearly jumped in surprise as Lance leaned up and pressed a kiss to Keith’s scar.

“You’re beautiful. I know you still have issues accepting your scars. I’ve seen how you react whenever I touch one or you see it. I just want you to know that you’re beautiful with them or without.” Lance noticed the curious way Keith was looking at him. He shifted so he was sitting next to Lance and lowered his head in shame. Had he been that easy to read? Lance cupped his check, the one that held his scar, and gently pulled his head so Keith was looking at him.

“I know what you’re feeling. I know how much you hate them but now they’re a part of you. I’ve only seen pictures of you without them, so I can’t say whether you look better with or without them, but I can tell you this. Those scars show that you’re a survivor. You survived ten thousand years being tortured by your father, his witch, and a sadistic commander. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. They’re beautiful because they prove you survived near death.” Keith smiled softly at the words and Lance leaned in to press a small kiss to his lips. “When I said I wanted to touch you, I meant all of you. That includes your scars. I want to show you how much I love you and how beautiful I find you. Will you let me do that?”

Keith nodded without hesitation. Lancel had never tried to make him feel comfortable in his own skin like this. Once, Keith had confided in Lancel about how much he hated being Galra. He wasn’t comfortable about the way he looked or what the color of his skin implied about him. The Galra Empire was debauched and cruel even before the war began. Over time, he had learned to separate himself from his race to feel comfortable with who he was. When he had told Lancel how he felt, Lancel ensured that he loved him regardless of his race or the color of his skin. At the time, Keith was satisfied with that, but now he could see that Lance truly wanted him to be comfortable with himself, scars included. Lance had never judged Keith about his race, he sympathized with his feelings and validated them.

Lance returned to tracing and kissing Keith’s scars and soul mark. Keith felt the arousal build up again. It surprised him but he didn’t fight it. Never before had he gotten aroused simply from someone’s lips and fingers on his skin. In all honesty, Keith hadn’t been aroused as often as he was around Lance. Not even with Lancel. This felt more sensual and intimate than anything he did with Lancel ever had.

Before he knew it, Keith was moaning heavily. Lance licked his way from the scar on Keith’s chest up to the one on his cheek and Keith felt himself harden. Lance wasn’t even touching his erection anymore, yet Keith felt himself grow closer to an orgasm. Suddenly, Lance’s lips were pressed against his and his tongue was swirling around his own. His hand slid down to palm at Keith’s erection through his flight suit again. Lance swallowed Keith’s moan as he applied more pressure.

“Gonna cum for me, Keith?” Lance whispered against Keith’s lips as he rubbed against the erection more. Keith moaned again, letting Lance swallow it again. “Wanna see your face when you cum.”

Keith hadn’t expected Lance’s words to affect him the way they did. He leaned back and screwed his eyes shut as his abdomen tightened with heat. The moan he let out was louder than the previous moans and he felt himself release inside of his flight suit.

His breath was heavier when he opened his eyes again. Lance hadn’t moved from his position but was now smiling at him. He shifted so he was straddling Keith’s lap. It gave him the leverage to grind down against Keith’s groin. He had softened after his orgasm but that didn’t mean Lance get him hard again. He returned the smile before sitting back up straight and pulling Lance into another heated kiss.

“Are you going to make yourself orgasm? Use my skin to bring your completion?” Keith was unfamiliar with the term Lance had used and he was hesitant to use it, so he hoped his words had the same effect on him as Lance’s had on Keith. It seemed like it had as Lance nodded at his words, his grounding slowly shifting into a rut against Keith’s body. Keith tightened his hold on Lance as his orgasm approached. There was a temptation to look down, to actually get a decent look at Lance’s erection, was strong but Keith didn’t want to miss Lance’s expression as he completed. He watched him as Lance’s ruts grew desperate. He held him tightly as he spilled over onto his and Keith’s stomach. Lance panted, his shoulders shaking with each breath. 

His flight suit stuck to his skin even more as he bucked his hips up to meet Lance’s. Lance moaned into the kiss and pulled at Keith’s face to deepen the kiss. Keith had one arm around Lance’s waist and the other cupping his ass. Lance’s erection pressed against Keith’s stomach. Each time Lance moved his hips, his erection rubbed against Keith and he moaned more. Keith squeezed the hand that cupped his ass, causing Lance to moan more. Keith pulled away from the kiss.

Both were silent as they calmed down from their orgasms. Lance’s hips settled back down but were further back on his thighs so he wasn’t directly on Keith’s groan. As his breaths evened out, Lance leaned in so he was resting against Keith’s chest. His heart beat fast in Lance’s ear but he the Cuban knew his own heart was beating just as quickly.

“We should shower.” Keith wasn’t ready to move but he knew that the longer he sat there with his seed cooling in his flight suit, the harder it would be to take it off. He almost grimaced at the thought. It was already hard getting the suit off, to add in a sticky substance would make it much harder to get the material off.

“I just wanna nap,” Lance complained, though he appeared more awake than he had been previously. Keith chuckled as he reached behind him to start the water. He made sure the tub was plugged so it would fill up once the water was warm.

“You’ll regret not getting clean when you wake up. I’ll even wash you so all you have to worry about is relaxing.” Lance didn’t argue against that. As the tub filled, Keith stepped back to peel his flight suit off completely. That had caught Lance’s attention and he watched as Keith revealed more of his skin to him.

“I get a show and pampered? This must be my lucky day.” Lance was teasing him but it didn’t stop Keith from dropping the suit to his feet as soon as it was no longer stuck to his thighs. Cleaning that would be a pain but that was a problem for later. Right now, he wanted to get his soulmate clean and in bed.

As soon as the tub was filled, Keith stepped in and pulled Lance into the water as well. Lance settled in between Keith’s legs, his back to Keith’s chest. Keith’s hands looped around Lance’s waist, one hand resting gently on his soul mark. The water lapped at both of them softly as they relaxed into the warm water.

“How are you so warm all the time?” Lance asked softly, tilting his head to look at Keith. His skin had goosebumps, indicating that he was affected by the cold air. Keith’s skin radiated heat so he pulled Lance closer to his body to keep him warm.

“Galra run hotter than most races. Cold temperature doesn’t affect us all that much.” Lance made an attempt to snuggle further into Keith’s arms and chest. Keith chuckled and reached over to grab the soap. “Let’s get you cleaned up and then we can go sleep.”

Lance only mildly complained as Keith slid the soap over his skin to wash the sweat, dirt, and semen off. As the soap slid across his thighs, Lance moaned and spread his legs more. Keith leaned forward and attached his lips to Lance’s neck. The action pulled another moan from Lance and he arched into Keith’s touch. He had wanted to sleep before the bath but Keith was easily turning him on again.

Keith put the soap down and his hand slid down to caress Lance’s thighs, spreading the suds from the soap as he did so. As his hand slowly inched its way over to Lance’s growing erection, he rubbed his thumb over the edge of Lance’s soul mark.

“Fuck…Keith,” Lance arched into Keith’s touches. He kept his neck as stretched as he could in his current position so Keith could continue to kiss, suck, and lick marks into him. Finally, Keith’s hand wrapped around Lance’s erection. His hand practically swallowed Lance but the sound of Lance’s wanton moan encouraged him to slowly slide his hand over the appendage. Lance could feel Keith’s growing erection pressing against his back. It was larger than he had expected, and that was saying a lot because he had already assumed he would be quite large.

Keith’s breath hitched as Lance writhed against him and rubbed against his erection. Lance shivered at the feeling of Keith’s hot breath on his neck but didn’t stop the way he moved his body against Keith. He was not going to be the only one achieving a second orgasm. Not if he could help it, at least. Keith’s hand felt hot against Lance’s skin and the way he stroked Lance’s cock brought him closer to the edge each time he squeezed him.

“Gonna cum…Keith…” Lance’s breathless moans grew in pitch as Keith sped his hand up. He stopped just before Lance reached his orgasm. He shifted his head so he could nip at Lance’s ear again.

“I want you in my mouth,” Keith whispered into Lance’s ear. Lance shivered at the idea and nodded. Keith picked him up and placed him on the edge of the tub. Lance used Keith’s shoulders to hold himself steady. His moan echoed around the room as Keith pulled his erection into his mouth. His grip tightened slightly and he felt his eyes slip shut at the feeling. He had never experienced anyone sucking him before, and the fact that it was Keith who held him in his mouth almost made him cum again. He held it back, determined to get as much pleasure as he could before he came again. He had already been on the edge once, so it wouldn’t take him long to reach it again.

Keith started off slow, sucking the head and lapping his tongue around him until he heard Lance’s moans taper off. Then he took more in. It was more of a challenge to keep his teeth away from the skin but he managed. His goal was to get Lance to spill his seed, and if that happened in his mouth he wouldn’t mind. He wanted to taste all Lance would give him. Lance’s hips moved slightly in time with Keith’s head and he felt him twitch in his mouth.

“Keith…” Lance’s breathy moan was supposed to indicate to Keith that he was close but Lance couldn’t finish his sentence. Like a fourteen-year-old boy, he came quickly and harshly, spilling into Keith’s mouth with very little warning. Keith’s mouth milked him for all he had before pulling off and swallowing the seed in his mouth. Lance moaned at the sight and surged forward to pull Keith into a kiss. He could tase his cum on Keith’s tongue, and while it should have bothered him he found the action incredibly hot. Even as a younger teen, Lance hadn’t imagined watching someone swallow his cum could be such a turn on. If he hadn’t released twice already, he probably could have cum from the thought alone.

“My turn,” Lance stated, pushing Keith back so he relaxed against the wall of the tub. The water had cooled significantly by the time Lance kneeled in it again. He found the soap in the water and began running it over Keith’s body. He hadn’t forgotten that Keith had washed him but not himself. Now that he was more awake and still incredibly turned on, he wanted to participate in the foreplay Keith had started.

He took his time cleaning Keith’s body of the grime. Once part of his body was clean, Lance would place a kiss against his skin until all he had left was his erection. Lance gripped it with soapy hands, and bit back a moan when he realized his hands couldn’t fit around the girth. Slowly, he stroked Keith under the guise of cleaning him. It may have been believable if he hadn’t reached up to kiss at Keith’s neck.

Keith rested his hands on Lance’s hips as he let Lance work his hands and mouth over his body. He hadn’t expected Lance to want to return the ministrations. He had intended for the bath to be relaxing and he’s take Lance to bed to sleep afterward. When he saw how Lance reacted to his touch he wanted to feel all of Lance, which escalated into wanting to taste him. Now Lance was teasing him in return.

Keith opened his eyes, unaware he had closed them in the first place, when he heard the water start to drain. Lance returned his hand to his erection and continued stroking him at the slow pace he had set earlier. Lance’s mouth was still attached to his neck when he felt the vibration of a moan from Lance against his skin.

“I’m not sure you’re going to fit in my mouth,” Lance hadn’t pulled away as he spoke but he tightened his hands around Keith, pulling a gasped moan from the larger man. “Doesn’t mean I’m not going to try, though.”

Lance slid down until he was settled between Keith’s legs. Both of his hands were still wrapped around Keith’s cock, one on top of the other, and there was still at least five inches untouched. Lance liked at the tip, pulling another moan from Keith, before sliding the tip in his mouth. Lance was right, Keith was too large to fit in his mouth. He’d managed to get a little bit further than the head before his mouth was stretched uncomfortably.

“Lance, you don’t have to-” Lance cut Keith off as he sucked at what little he had in his mouth. Keith hadn’t been close to cumming until he felt Lance’s tongue slide out of his mouth to lick the underside of his cock. Lance tried to take more in his mouth but ended up gagging. He pulled off to catch his breath. Keith reached up to cup Lance’s cheeks and grab his attention.

“You don’t have to do this. Don’t hurt yourself for me.” There were tears in Lance’s eyes and spit dripped from his lips. Keith felt the heat in his stomach churn again at the sight but he refused to admit that he liked the debauched sight. Lance shook his head the best he could with Keith’s hands still on his face. The feeling of Keith in his throat and the taste of him on his tongue aroused him again. He hoped Keith didn’t noticed, since this was meant to be about the Galra rather than him.

“I want to do this, Keith. I want to be able to suck your cock like you did for me.” Keith’s size terrified Lance as much as it excited him. Though he wasn’t planning on having sex with Keith until later in their relationship, Lance knew he would enjoy having Keith inside of him. Lance pulled out of Keith’s grip and leaned down again. He took Keith into his mouth again, going as far as he had before, and instead of gagging this time he was able to hold it in his throat for a few seconds before pulling up. He didn’t let Keith slip out and suckled on the head.

Keith moaned as he felt Lance stimulate him closer and closer to his orgasm. Without realizing it, his hand slid into Lance’s hair. He tried not to pull or move his hips to get more pleasure, as Lance already had a hard time taking him in his mouth, but it was proving difficult as he felt his orgasm approaching.

“Lance,” Keith barely managed to get Lance’s name out before he was spilling into his mouth. Lance swallowed it down around Keith’s tip. As soon as Keith finished, Lance pulled back and looked up at Keith.

“Did you enjoy that?” Keith’s cheeks lit up with a blush, causing Lance to laugh softly at him. He leaned against Keith, shivering as he realized how cold he was. “Warm me up?”

Keith didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around Lance and stand up, picking Lance up with him. They were both mostly dry so instead of stopping to grab the towel, Keith carried Lance into the bed chamber and set him on the bed. He climbed in next to him and pulled the blankets over them both. Lance snuggled up to him and he wrapped his arms around him. They stayed like that, cuddled together, until Lance fell asleep. Keith fell asleep right after him.


	21. Marmora

By the time the Paladins returned, Ryner had analyzed and organized all of the data and reports the Castle of Lions had compiled about the trans-reality comet. She had a few hypotheses about the uses of the comet but she didn’t have the ability to test it. If they could figure out how to do it, the comet could strengthen the Voltron Lions, or it could open a quintessence field to provide power to the Lions or their weapons. It could even close a quintessence field if one were already open. Honestly, so long as they altered the ore properly the possibilities were endless. Ryner needed to have access to the comet to test the uses.

As Ryner walked out of her lab, she realized how late it was. The only light illuminating the hall was from the moon. It seemed everyone in the tower had already resigned for the night as Ryner didn’t come across anyone on her way to her bed chambers. It made sense given it was the middle of the night. In the distance, she saw the soft glow of the Castle of Lions as it returned to Olkarion. Ryner could wake the Paladins up, though she suspected Princess Allura was already awake in order to land the Castle, but Ryner decided she would be able to getter examine the comet with fresh eyes. She could feel hers drooping as she entered her chamber.

Keith was woken up by the incessant knocking on his door. He groaned as he slid out of the warm sheets and away from Lance. As he walked to the door he felt the air hitting him and remembered he and Lance hadn’t put anything on before falling asleep, so he diverted his path so he could grab a pair of pants to slip on before answering. Allura was the one knocking on his door. Though it was early in the morning, she looked as elegant and put together as ever.

“Honerva is awake. She’s in the infirmary still.” The words were spoke quietly but urgently, and they woke Keith up completely. He nodded his acknowledgment. He wanted to see her, to see what she knew about Lotor’s plans or his father, but he couldn’t see her the way he was dressed. Honerva was once Empress of Daibazaal and the Galra Empire. She knew as well as him how a prince was supposed to dress. She would likely chew him out for what he was currently wearing.

“I’ll be there in a couple of dobashes. Allow me to get dressed first.” Allura nodded and turned to walk away. Keith closed the door and turned to his wardrobe. He heard the sheets rustling and glanced over to see Lance sitting up. The sheets pooled around his waist and his hair stood up in every direction. Keith was sure that his own hair was probably the same way. He walked over to the bed and sat next to his soulmate.

“Who was at the door?” Lance’s speech was slurred with sleep and his eyes looked like they were still glazed over some. Keith thought he looked adorable. He leaned in and pressed a small kiss to Lance’s lips.

“That was Allura. Honerva is awake. I was going to go see her.” Lance reached up to rub the sleep out of his eyes and looked up at Keith with clearer eyes. He smiled mischievously at Keith.

“You were just going to leave me here, alone?” His tone was teasing, and combined with his sly grin Keith laughed. He reached up and ran his fingers through Lance’s hair, smoothing it down.

“I thought you were still asleep. I wanted you to get more rest.” Lance gripped Keith’s hand as it left his hair and pulled it to his lips to place a small kiss on the back. “Did you want to go with me?”

“Are you inviting me to meet your step-mother?” Lance leaned forward and pulled Keith into another kiss. There was a small moan from the Cuban that was swallowed into the kiss Keith pulled away slightly.

“Maybe I am.” Keith’s expression softened. “Maybe I want you to meet one of the only people I cared about in my family. It’s unlikely you’ll meet Bralae any time soon but Honerva was as much of a mother to me as my own mother had been.” 

“Then let’s get dressed and go see her.” Lance placed one more kiss on Keith’s lips before sliding out of bed. Lance had slowly been moving his clothes into Keith’s room since the first night he had stayed there. He was quick to gather clothes out of the wardrobe for both him and Keith. The two dressed in silence. Lance ran a comb through Keith’s hair, straightening the tangles out, before doing the same with his shorter hair. 

Keith had already kept Honerva and Allura waiting longer than he intended by the time he and Lance left the chamber. They were silent as they walked through the halls to the other side of the Castle where the infirmary was located. Lance knew that Keith was nervous to see her again, especially after everything his father had done to them both. Keith paused just outside of the door. Now that they were actually there, with Honerva on the other side of that door, Keith’s nervousness spiked. He wasn’t nervous about introducing Lance to her like he felt like he should. Honerva would accept their relationship without question. Instead, he felt nervous about simply seeing her again. He hadn’t seen her since before the war. Before his father had killed both his and Bralae’s soulmates. Did she know what happened to him after the attack on Altea? To her own people?

“You ready?” Lance was standing next to Keith patiently, holding his hand gently in his own. Keith took a deep breath and nodded. There was no need to postpone the inevitable. With hos free hand, he reached to open the door. Lance walked into the infirmary behind Keith. Allura and Coran were standing near the bed where Honerva sat, now looking much healthier than she initially had when Lance put her in the pod.

“Keith?” Honerva’s voice was shaking and hoarse. It was opposite of the strong tone Keith knew from her. He resisted the urge to frown as he stepped further into the room. He should have expected that Honerva wasn’t going to be as strong as he remembered her since she looked so deathly when being put in the pod. She still looked ill but there was more color in her face now.

“Honerva, how are you feeling?” Lance followed him over to the bed but kept quiet. Honerva glanced at him before returning her gaze to Keith.

“I’m fine. It’ll take time for me to get stronger again but overall I feel fine. Do you know what happened?” Keith frowned. It was possible that Lotor had been keeping her subdued. She may not have remembered what happened to leave her in such a position.

“What do you remember?” Allura was the one to ask the question instead of Keith. Honerva looked over at her with a frown. Her chin tilted down as she thought.

“I remember receiving the news that Daibazaal had been destroyed. And Zarkon…he blamed the Alteans. I tried to talk him out of the war but he put me in one of his prisons. I was there for…five decaphoebs? I think. Bralae kept me up to date about what Zarkon did as he fought Alfor and the other Paladins. She was tasked with executing me after Altea fell. Somehow, she smuggled me off the ship and hid me on a planet Zarkon hadn’t discovered yet. Lotor found me some time later. He…gave me something. It helped with the pain from my injuries but it also put me to sleep. I don’t know what happened after that.” Honerva spoke softly and slowly but she seemed confused. As if her memories weren’t all there. Keith did frown this time.

“You had a high level of lead and a lower level of tetrodotoxin in your system. It’s likely that Lotor was keeping you in a coma. It’ll take a movement or so for the toxins to work their way out of your body.” Coran explained, reading off of a file in his hands. “You’ve also been exposed to a large quantity of quintessence. That’s likely what has kept you alive all these decaphoebs.” Honerva frowned, looking around the room at the four people around her. Finally her eyes settled on Keith.

“If it was the quintessence from the rift on Daibazaal it’s probably only a matter of time before I die. That quintessence is poisonous. It causes madness. Zarkon was affected long before I arrived on Daibazaal to study the rift. Lotor might have also been poisoned.” Honerva seemed to know what she was talking about. She sounded too sure for it to be speculation. Keith wouldn’t be surprised. She had spent decaphoebs studying the rift and the quintessence from the rift even before she and Zarkon mated. “Though, I suppose if I was exposed to the quintessence from Daibazaal I wouldn’t be able to think so clearly.”

“It wasn’t the quintessence from the rift. Lotor managed to extract the quintessence from some of the remaining Alteans. He was…using it…on you.” Allura responded softly. She had laid a hand on Honerva’s hand. “He used the quintessence of your own people to keep you alive.”

Honerva was silent. Keith looked down ashamed that his brother had killed so many of his own people just to keep one person alive. It wasn’t his fault and he knew that there was nothing he could have done to stop him had he known but that didn’t stop his shame from bubbling in his chest. Honerva probably felt more responsible for the way her son turned out. She hadn’t been there for him, even if it wasn’t her fault for that, meaning Lotor had no positive role model. Lotor had Zarkon and Bralae…and Bralae definitely wasn’t the best influence. She’d been as ruthless as their father before she met Marmora.

“How many Alteans are left? I know Zarkon destroyed Altea, but how many Alteans got away?” Honerva finally spoke, looking up at Keith. He frowned and looked over at Allura. She wasn’t looking at him or Honerva. Instead she was looking down at the floor.

“There’s a small colony on the other side of the universe hidden in the far side of a quantum abyss. I don’t know how many Alteans there are but we have the princess of that colony here, if you would like to speak to her.” Keith kneeled down so he could maintain eye contact with Honerva without making her uncomfortable.

“Maybe later. Do we know where Lotor is now?” If Honerva wasn’t ready to speak to Romelle Keith could understand that, but eventually she would have to. Romelle was living in the same Castle as Honerva now was. Eventually, Romelle would feel offended if Honerva avoided her for long. However, Keith wasn’t sure if that was the case or if she simply wasn’t up to meeting anyone yet. She _had_ just come out of the healing pod after a ten-thousand decaphoeb coma.

“Either on his way to where you were being held or already there. We left last night after we grabbed you. We’re on Olkarion now.” Allura replied, pulling her hand back to herself. Honerva nodded, looking down as if in deep thought. As if she were trying to _remember_.

“I’ve been to Olkarion a few times. They are incredible engineers.” Coran set the file down and turned to them.

“Keith found another trans-reality comet. Ryner, the leader of the Olkari has been helping us examine the data we’ve gathered from the comet.” Honerva looked up at him, shocked at the information. She glanced back over at Keith for confirmation.

“Lotor found it initially. He sent me to get it by holding Lance captive. He made the mistake of turning Lance over to the Empire and not returning to our meeting spot before I got there.” Keith reached up to grip at Lance’s hand, which Lance squeezed in return. Honerva looked up in surprise.

“This isn’t Lancel?” Keith shook his head. He could understand why Honerva would assume Lance was his former incarnation given how much he looked like Lancel. Especially now that his hair was white and the eye scales were more notable than they had before Haggar hit him with her magic. Keith remembered when he first met Lance and thought he was Lancel through his delirium. Then, the only features that were similar to Lancel was his facial features and his stature. At the time, that was all Keith could focus on through the haze of pain.

“This is our Blue Paladin, Lance McClain. He’s from Earth.” Lance waved at Honerva in a greeting. “He is Lancel’s reincarnation.”

“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.” Keith had never seen Lance act so formal and polite. It almost reminded him of Lancel yet the formality was starkly different than Altean formalities.

“There’s no need for that. Just Honerva, please.” Honerva stood on shaky legs. Keith stood up and offered his hand to help steady her. She waved him off, though he wasn’t surprised, and took a few steps forward. She stopped in front of Lance.

“You look just like him.” Lance was still as she reached up and ran a finger along his cheek and corresponding eye scale. She glanced over at Allura and Keith before looking back over at Lance. “I had hoped Alfor had managed to save him as he had with Princess Allura and Coran. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.”

“It’s not your fault. You can’t control what other people do. You tried to fight for your people. Keith did as well. You were both held prisoner with no option to help end the war. But you’re here now and, if you feel up to it, you can help us.” Keith masked his surprise at how well Lance spoke the very thoughts Keith had wanted to express. He couldn’t remember ever telling Lance, or anyone, how much he felt at fault for being unable to help fight against his father. He had a feeling Lance could read him easily.

“Where is the comet? I did much of the initial research and read most of Alfor’s notes on the first comet as he built the Voltron Lions. Maybe I can help with this one.” Honerva dropped her arm and stepped back.

“In one of our storage chambers. Ryner has all of the data in the city.” Allura responded, grabbing Honerva’s attention again. Honerva stepped forward again, towards the door this time, urging Allura to lead her to that chamber. Keith turned to Coran as soon as the door closed behind them.

“Any updates on her?” Keith asked motioning towards the pod still in use. The frost on the glass kept it for them to be able to get a good look at the woman to see if there was any changes in her health. Coran moved to the console next to the pod and pulled up the screen.

“She also has high levels of lead and tetrodotoxin in her system. Unfortunately, she also has damage on her throat from the detrite acid that she drank. There’s heavy scarring around where the wounds were, both her abdomen and throat. The stab wound was what nearly killed her.” Coran showed them the scans and test results. Keith frowned as he looked at the scans.

“So she was also put into a coma? What reason would Lotor have for keeping her asleep?” Lance stood back, still confused on who exactly was in the pod. He was slowly learning how to read Altean but still not well enough to understand what was on the screen.

“It may have done her a service. It allowed her body to heal from the wounds without making them worse. The tetrodotoxin paralyzed her muscles so she barely moved. It did deteriorate her muscle mass, however. She’ll need physical therapy when she gets out. There’s nothing we can do until she wakes up. It may be a bit longer. She’s been in a coma longer than Honerva had been.” Coran allowed the screen to close as he turned to Keith and Lance.

“Did the pod confirm her identity?” Keith asked, turning to look at the pod once again.

“It did. This is Princess Marmora of Rygnirath. You may want to think about contacting Bralae to let her know.” Lance frowned at the name and turned to also look at the pod. He still couldn’t see her but he knew how important she must be. Keith had risked the entire mission to pull her out of that facility for a reason. If Lance remembered correctly, Marmora was important to Keith and his sister. She was Bralae’s soulmate. Or rather, is Bralae’s soulmate. Lance still found the fact that Keith and Bralae had been alive for so long hard to grasp.

“How long will she be in the pod?” Keith didn’t turn to Coran to look at him as he asked the question but Lance did. Coran was frowning and staring down at the report.

“It’s hard saying. I wasn’t expecting Honerva to be released from the pod so soon given her state. It could take another quintant or it could take an entire movement. It all depends on how well her body reacts to the healing process. Why don’t you two go inform the other Paladins that Honerva is awake and looking at the comet. If anything changes with Marmora I will let you know.” Coran shooed them off but Keith didn’t move until Lance gripped his hand and pulled him away from the pod. They were both quiet, Lance letting Keith remain deep in his thoughts, as they walked towards the dining chamber. Lance paused just outside of the door and looked up at Keith.

“Are you going to contact your sister?” Lance asked after a couple moments of continued silence. Keith shook himself out of his thoughts and looked down at Lance.

“I want to wait until Marmora wakes up. My father broadcasted Marmora’s poisoning with detrite acid and the subsequent shots that were fired at her. Bralae was there but she hasn’t said what happened to Marmora after the broadcast shut off. We know Marmora was stabbed, as was her mother, but Bralae never said how or who did it. There was one other soldier and two sentries in the chamber with them. As much as I don’t want to believe it, there is a possibility Bralae was the one to stab her. I love my sister, and I honestly hope I’m wrong, but I don’t want to trigger either of them if she did betray Marmora.” Lance tightened his grip on Keith’s hand. He could feel how upset and conflicted Keith was about his own discovery. Lance knew no one had expected for them to find Marmora, the namesake of an entire underground organization, alive and being kept secret, but now Keith had to face the reality that his sister may have tried to kill her soulmate. Just like his father.

“If you want to wait until Marmora wakes up to tell Bralae she’s alive, we can do that. We can tell Coran that we want what’s best for Marmora when she’s awake and maybe having Bralae here won’t be good for her. Marmora would know who stabbed her. She can give you the answer you’re looking for when she wakes up.” Keith smiled down at Lance as he pulled his hand up to his lips to place a kiss on the back of it. Lance’s hand was so small in his own but it still fit perfectly.

“Let’s go talk to the others and get some food. There’s nothing we can do until we get new information or Marmora wakes up.” Keith nodded at Lance’s suggestion and turned to open the door.

Ryner only got a few vargas of sleep before the sun rose. Her excitement had to be contained as she didn’t want to bother the Paladins so early in the morning. Instead, she returned to her lab, gathered her notes together, and headed off to eat her morning meal before leaving to visit the Paladins. As she sat in the dining chamber with her bowl in front of her, Ryner read through her notes. Her food sat untouched.

“Isn’t it a bit early to be studying so intently? You’re Kazyn is getting cold.” Ulaz broke Ryner out of her thoughts as he took a seat across from her. The steam from his own bowl of the stew offset how little Ryner’s bowl let off. The sun was high in the sky now, indicating how long she had already been distracted.

“The Paladins returned last night. I want to make sure I have all of the data organized before I go see them.” Regardless of her words, Ryner still pushed the files away to pull her bowl closer. She took a bite and frowned. She should have eaten before going over her notes. Cold Kazyn was unpleasant.

“I’m sure you have that data memorized. You’ve been holed up in your lab for the two quintants the Paladins have been gone.” Ulaz spoke in between bites of his own food. It was no surprise to him that Ryner was taking this so seriously, but he had learned during his time on Olkarion that she, like many of the Olkari, tended to overwork and needed to be reminded to take breaks to rest and eat.

Kolivan was the same way. Ulaz used to remind him to take breaks in between making plans and coordinating their spy network. He hadn’t spoken to his mate since he had been sent to retrieve the Blue and Red Paladins from Nulalum almost a phoeb back. Kolivan wasn’t answering his calls nor was he returning them. It made Ulaz worry but he had trust in the man. He had to. Ulaz was barely handling being away from Kolivan for so long but there was a deep seeded fear that there was something wrong. Almost as if his connection with his mate had been severed without actually being severed. It could have just been a result of being so far away from Kolivan for more than a movement or so at a time. He hoped that was all it was. When they first decided to finish the mating they had worried about the chance of their connection being strained any time they were away from each other. Now Ulaz’s fears were becoming a reality.

“Is something on your mind, Ulaz?” Ryner had pushed her bowl away from herself again when she called for his attention again. He frowned as he realized he had missed whatever she said before that.

“My apologies. I was thinking about Kolivan. I have been unable to reach him every time I try to make contact. This is the longest I’ve been away from him since we mated and I feel our connection has severed.” Ulaz usually didn’t confide in people he didn’t know well about his personal emotions and life events – Krolia was the one who usually helped him with his issues but she was still on the Castle of Lions – however, this was something he couldn’t keep to himself. It could mean something was wrong with the Blade or Kolivan himself, or he was just paranoid.

“If your connection has been severed it wouldn’t be because you’re apart. I can’t say I’ve had many Galra companions in my lifetime but my great-grandfather did. He wrote everything he could about the Galra down for future generation to read. He never indicated that the connection could be severed by distance. I’m sure it can be strained but not severed. I would like for you to accompany me to visit the Paladins. You may be right, there may be something wrong with your leader and mate.” Ryner gathered her notes and grabbed her bowl.

“Are you going now?” Ulaz also grabbed his bowl and stood up when she did.

“If you’re ready. If not I can wait.” Ulaz followed Ryner to the dish dispenser to drop off their bowls before leaving the dining chamber. The two made their way out of the tower and through the streets of the city to where the Castle landed.

Thace wasn’t sure how long Kolivan had been under the control of Haggar. Honestly, only his mate would be able to tell when Kolivan was put under, but since Thace didn’t know where Ulaz was it would be hard to ask him. No, it wasn’t even a matter of Kolivan being under Haggar’s control. He didn’t even recognize Thace when he returned to the base. It was like he was a completely different person.

When Thace first arrived at the base, Kolivan wasn’t around but the members who were there, all high ranking and incredibly trustworthy, informed Thace of Kolivan’s movements and actions. He had pulled many of the spies out of the central hub of the Empire and sent them further away to other locations. A couple Blades overheard Kolivan sending transmissions to Haggar about Blade operations, where they heard Haggar reply with orders to send spies elsewhere.

Upon Kolivan’s return, he attacked Thace as if he were an intruder. It took six members to pull him off Thace and hold him down. It was as if his mind were erased and he forgot who his own allies were. However, when Thace ran every test he could against Kolivan to figure out who he was, he realized that his quintessence was different. It didn’t even match the quintessence that Galra held. It looked more like a Buhim. The species was under Galra rule but from what Thace had overserved, they were loyal to Zarkon. The leader of the colony, Zeida, had surrendered to Sendak when he arrived at their colony nearly sixty decaphoebs ago, without so much as a shot fired. Thace frowned.

This wasn’t Kolivan.

“What do we do, Thace?” Nix asked after he and Antok locked the imposter in one of their cells. Thace frowned, looking at his mate, and shook his head in thought. Bralae had asked him to figure out a way of informing the Blades about her place as head of the organization, but he wasn’t sure how.

“Somewhere in this base there should be information about the history of our organization. I believe I know who founded the Blades but I would like to be sure before we take any action in regard to appointing a temporary leader. Find those records and alert me when you do. I am going to begin contacting the Blades to inform them of Kolivan’s actions.” It would be better to have the Blades in one place so that he wouldn’t have to send out thousands of transmissions with the same information.

It was Keith who let Ulaz and Ryner in. Without question as to what they were doing there he brought them to the storage chamber where most of the occupants of the Castle were currently examining the comet alongside Honerva. Only Lance, Shiro, Romelle, and Coran were absent from the chamber when Ryner and Ulaz walked in. Everyone else was spread around the chamber looking at different screens and data readings. Ryner wasn’t surprised by the extra person hunched over the comet across from Pidge. She assumed it was Honerva, who the Paladins had left to retrieve two quintants prior. The woman was definitely Altean like Coran, Allura, and Romelle.

“Ryner, it’s good to see you again. Please allow me to introduce you to Honerva, the scientist who researched the first trans-reality comet. Honerva, this is Ryner the leader of the Olkari. With her is Ulaz, a member of the Blades just like Krolia and Acxa.” Allura introduced once she noticed the two newcomers.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Honerva. I brought all of my notes along with the original data on the comet. I don’t mean to skip the pleasantries but I believe there are ways we can use the comet to our advantage. I’ll have to run tests in order to be certain.” Ulaz stayed by the door alongside Keith as Ryner stepped up to the comet and placed her notes down on the table next to it.

“May I read through your notes? I would like to see what data you’ve collected about the comet before we run any tests.” Ryner agreed with a wave of her hand and Honerva picked the notes up. Keith turned to leave. Ulaz followed Keith out the door when he left, determined to speak to the remaining Paladins about his concerns about Kolivan. The two walked down the hall until they reached the lift that would take them to the next floor.

“May I ask you a personal question, Keith? You don’t have to answer it if it makes you uncomfortable.” They hadn’t turned the lift on before Ulaz asked and neither made the move to do so.

“What is the question?” Keith wasn’t looking at him but Ulaz could tell he was hesitant. Personal usually meant it had to do with his life before the war or his time as a captive. Depending on the question, Keith would probably be uncomfortable answering it.

“I am aware that you used to travel between Altea and Daibazaal while you were courting your soulmate. Have you ever lost your connection to him while you were gone?” Ulaz hadn’t been sure how to properly word his question. He honestly didn’t even know how far Daibazaal was from Altea or if it was far enough away to sever the connection. Keith looked taken aback by the question.

“Our connection was only severed when Lancel died. Daibazaal wasn’t far enough away from Altea to sever our connection. Even when I went to other systems or galaxies the most we received was a connection strained.” Keith remembered the exact moment Lancel died. Even as the healing pod indicated he was dead, Lancel’s heart continued to beat until they made it to the Juniberry field. It was like someone was stabbing his heart directly as their connection severed. It was painful, heart-clenching, that made him sick. Until then, it had been the worst pain he’d ever experienced. At the time, he had been grateful that he was dying, so the pain wouldn’t have to last. Instead, he was healed and put through even more pain and suffering than he could imagine. “Why do you ask?”

“Kolivan, the leader of the Blades, is my soulmate. A week after I pulled you and Lance out of the waters of Nulalum, my connection to Kolivan was severed. I wondered if it was just the distance but…I had never heard of a soulmate connection being severed simply by distance and neither had Ryner. The weird thing is my soul mark still has all of its color.” Keith finally turned to look at Ulaz. He could see how distraught the Blade was about what could have potentially happened to his mate. He frowned and turned slightly to start the lift.

“I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but Kolivan is likely dead if you’re connection has severed.” Keith knew what Ulaz was feeling. He felt like he was going to die each day after he had lost Lancel. They hadn’t even finished their mating so he could only assume to know what Ulaz was going through. They would need to speak to the other Paladins, as well as Krolia and Acxa, before they took any kind of action. If Kolivan was the leader of the Blade of Marmora, there is no saying what happened to him or what the organization was doing now that he was gone. Hopefully, Keith was wrong and there was another reason their connection had been severed.

“Let’s go talk to Shiro and Lance. They may have an idea of what to do so we can find out what happened to your mate.” The lift stopped two floors up and the door opened to let them out. Ulaz continued to follow Keith down the hall until they were met with Shiro.

“Ulaz, we weren’t expecting you. Keith, Bralae is on the comms. She said she has important information that all of us need to hear. I was about to go searching for you, Ulaz, so you can also hear this. It’s about the Blade.” Shiro didn’t miss the look on Ulaz’s face as he mentioned the organization. Whatever Bralae was going to tell them, it couldn’t be good.

“Grab the others. Ryner is with them. I’ll take Ulaz to the bridge. Are Lance and Romelle there?” Keith didn’t give Ulaz the chance to excuse himself from the meeting. They both knew what was likely to be said, in front of everyone, but there was no way Ulaz could miss it. He didn’t want to hear that his mate was gone, and since Bralae was the founder of the Blade of Marmora she probably knew what happened.

“Romelle is. Lance went to get Coran from the infirmary.” Keith turned and led Ulaz to the bridge once Shiro had walked past them. Romelle stood in front of the viewing screen where Bralae was speaking to her. Ulaz didn’t even know the two knew each other but they seemed to be speaking as if they had been friends for decaphoebs.

“Bralae,” Keith greeted as he walked into the room. Ulaz was behind him. Bralae turned her attention to the two, greeting Keith and Ulaz with a soft smile. She looked upset, something Ulaz wasn’t used to seeing in a commander. Ulaz had only spoke to Bralae a handful of times and all of those were while he was acting in the capacity of a Galra soldier speaking to a Galra commander about war efforts. He hadn’t known what her role in the Blades was until just before he left Kolivan three movements ago. Seeing her now, knowing she had been the founder of the organization he had dedicated his life to, was almost unnerving. The feeling in the pit of his gut made him want to throw up.

“I assume the Black Paladin is gathering everyone else, as I requested?” Romelle shifted so she was less in view. Ulaz stepped up so he was next to Keith. Whatever Bralae was about to say, he wasn’t going to run from it. Even if he wanted to.

“He is. He should return soon. Everyone else is in one of the storage chambers studying the trans-reality comet.” The door opened behind them. Ulaz turned slightly to see who it was, not sure if Shiro had returned with the other occupants of the Castle. It wasn’t Shiro, just as Ulaz thought, and instead it was Lance and Coran. Keith had also turned to look at the two as they walked in. Ulaz did not miss the look shared between Coran and Keith. There was something going on with them, but at the moment Ulaz didn’t care what it was.

As Keith turned back to his sister and Coran stepped next to Romelle, Shiro and everyone else entered. Except Honerva and Ryner hadn’t walked in with them. It was likely they had stayed to examine the comet. Ulaz wouldn’t be surprised. Theoretically, they weren’t needed for the conversation.

“Bralae, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Allura stated as she came to a stop on the other side of Keith. Lance and Shiro were behind them. Everyone else spread around the room behind them.

“It is a pleasure to see you as well, Allura. I wish this were under better circumstances. For the last phoeb I’ve been attempting to contact Kolivan, the current leader of the Blade of Marmora. When I was unable to get a hold of him, I sent Commander Thace to investigate. He discovered that something has been masquerading as Kolivan in his place. We believe it is a close made by Haggar. At the moment we’ve been unable to find out where Kolivan is or what happened to allow someone to take his place. Until we find out I will be retaking control of the Blade.” Bralae said everything in such a matter-of-fact way that it left no room for argument. Ulaz frowned. It was almost as if Kolivan knew something was going to happen by telling him about Bralae.

“What can we do to help?” Shiro asked, shooting a glance at Krolia and then Ulaz.

“If we can find Kolivan, I will not be able to send anyone in to get him. Our position as spies is likely compromised. Unfortunately, that means other than the three Blades with you we will not be able to assist you until I realize the extent we’ve been compromised.” Bralae was beating around the bush, but what she wanted to say was still evident.

“Focus on the Blade of Marmora. We can search for Kolivan.” Allura replied bringing the attention to her. Shiro nodded his agreement, though neither of them noticed how Keith frowned. He wanted to help Kolivan, as they all did, but they already had a lot on their hands. He couldn’t justify sacrificing anyone’s life to save the universe but he knew that if it came down to that, Kolivan would be last on their list to save. One man’s life wasn’t worth the death of many others – as his father used to tell him often. A glance at Ulaz, where he noticed the man looked on the verge of breaking down at the mention of his mate, told Keith he couldn’t sacrifice him. Kolivan couldn’t be sacrificed if they were going to keep the Blade on their side.

“We will continue to look for Kolivan as well while we evaluate our stance in the Empire. I apologize the news isn’t what we were hoping to share.” Bralae’s transmission cut out before anyone else could respond. Keith turned to Allura. Most of the group dispersed, leaving Ulaz, Lance, Shiro, Coran, and Romelle in the room.

“There’s something you need to know, Allura.” Allura was about to leave the room when Keith grabbed her attention again. She turned to look at him.

“I am aware that the healing pod confirmed the identity of the woman in the pod.” Keith shook his head at the comment. It definitely wasn't about that. He hadn't even been aware that Allura had checked up on her. 

“No, it isn’t about Marmora. It’s about Kolivan. Ulaz is his mate. Their connection was severed a week after we were all separated by the corrupted wormhole. You know as well as I that soulmate connections don’t sever easily.” Allura frowned, as did Romelle and Coran. Shiro and Lance looked between each other before looking over at Ulaz, who’s expression turned to surprise.

“Are you thinking he’s dead? That’s about the only thing that can sever a soulmate connection.” Coran asked, stepping forward so he was next to Allura.

“I don’t know. I thought that originally, but as far as I know, for a clone to keep its shape the original person needs to be alive. I have no doubt the druids have a way to sever a connection. They may not have even meant to sever it. I know the comet is our main priority now, but can we begin scanning for Kolivan’s quintessence?” Maybe it was because Keith had lost a soulmate before, but he was sympathetic to what Ulaz was going through.

“We have to focus on the task at hand. Ryner believes we can close the quintessence field on Daibazaal. If we do that, we can probably stop Lotor from continuing to hurt people.” Allura argued, frowning as she looked between Keith and Ulaz.

“But not all of us are working on the comet. Lance, Keith, Ulaz and I could do the scans while the rest of you are working with the comet. Otherwise we’ll be sitting here doing nothing.” Shiro had been the one to step up, insisting they could do something to help. Allura looked at him surprised but he kept his expression neutral.

“Fine, but if we need anything I expect you to drop it to help.” Keith and Shiro both nodded, thankful she was relenting. Keith knew that Allura had never met her soulmate and now she probably wouldn't. He hadn't seen her mark recently to know if hers was still grayed out but he doubted it gained color since she was still unable to understand how Ulaz felt. Keith should have known he would meet his again when his hadn't grayed out. He watched her as she left the chamber, a frown tugging on his lips slightly. 

The group turned to the consoles to begin their search. Romelle offered her assistance, though she wasn’t sure if there was anything she could really do to help since she hadn’t spent more than a few phoebs traveling the universe. Ulaz was the first to suggest galaxies and systems to search, with Keith offering others he knew Haggar once liked to travel to. He didn’t know much about the witch, but he knew enough to try and track someone she had hidden. Together they worked quickly to find a location. Keith had no doubt Allura would pull them off the project if she thought they could help the others with the comet instead. He also had no idea when Marmora would wake up from the pod. they were battling an invisible clock, and it was almost as if that clock was in a language Keith couldn't read. too many things were happening all at once, and Keith could barely keep up. It had only been a few phoebs since he had been rescued from Sendak's ship and it felt like he hadn't had a moment's rest since. 


	22. Awake

She felt cold. The last time Marmora had felt this cold was while she was on the ice planet Nunecenu. Even then, the cold wasn’t numbing like this. The fur lining her dress had kept her sufficiently warm then, now it felt like she wasn’t even wearing clothing. Maybe she wasn’t. She couldn’t remember where she was or what she had been wearing. All she could remember was the feeling of the acid running down her throat. When she drank it, disguised as Zrav, the acid burned her throat immediately making her unable to . She still felt as if her throat was burning.

The hiss and subsequent releasing of the cold air confused Marmora. She opened her eyes and was met with a blindingly bright light. Her eyes shut immediately. A groan passed her lips as she took a step forward and nearly fell as her foot didn’t stop when she expected. She was forced to open her eyes as she prepared to brace herself for the fall she knew was coming. Arms around her shoulders caught her fall and Marmora looked up.

The semi-familiar orange hair and mustache surprised her. She hadn’t known King Alfor’s advisor well but she did recognize him from the various dinners her father held in their home as well as the ones she had accompanied her father on Daibazaal and Altea. She didn’t go to many. Zarkon made her uncomfortable, as if he always had ulterior motives. It did more than unnerve her. His aura terrified her. She never spoke her worries aloud since her father had found friendship in the man. She should have known her silence would harm her family in the end. Now, here she was in the arms of King Alfor’s advisor in an unfamiliar place.

“Princess Marmora, please allow me to help you sit down.” The man was as formal as always. She opened her mouth to speak and felt pain as she tried to speak. That must have been a side effect of drinking the acid. The advisor hushed her as he led her to the bed on the opposite side of the chamber. Her skin pulled at scars she hadn’t been aware she had even as they walked. She grimaced as she sat down, feeling the thin gown hug her legs as she did so. Marmora opened her mouth to speak again and felt the same pain.

“Your vocal cords were damaged by the detrite acid. We will have to put you in the pod again to see if we can fix some of the damage done. Until then, I will find something for you to use to communicate. Would you like something to drink, see if that helps with the pain?” Marmora only nodded as she looked down at her lap. She didn’t remember feeling so much pain as she did even just sitting there. She faintly heard the door to the chamber open then close. Her head hurt the longer she tried to remember what happened.

She knew her father had hosted Bralae and her soldiers at a dinner on Rygnirath. Bralae had insisted on it because she wanted to help the Paladins fight her father. Marmora couldn’t be sure if Bralae had betrayed them intentionally or if it had been an accident. She remembered her mother’s scream as they both drank the Zrav. The burning in her throat as she spat the fluid out. It hadn’t been the sweet nectar she had been expecting and the way it burned her meant it had to be an acid. There could have been the sounds of shots being fired but she couldn’t remember. She couldn’t focus beyond the pain she felt.

Coran paused just outside of the door to the infirmary. Marmora’s scans from the pod didn’t show any sort or damage to her throat but he had seen how much it hurt her to speak. Being unable to speak made things a lot harder. For them, it was nothing more than an inconvenience. For Marmora, if they couldn’t fix the damage, she would have to live with the pain and silenced voice. Coran knew he wasn’t qualified to diagnose what was wrong with her without any sort of medical analysis to build a hypothesis on and he certainly didn’t have authority to fix it either. 

He shook himself out of his thoughts. There was no time to think about that when there were other things they needed to focus on. Coran stopped by the kitchen first, to grab a glass of water for Marmora, before making his way to the bridge where he knew Keith was with Shiro, Romelle, and Lance. Ulaz was there with them, surprising Coran for a short tick. It had been a few movements since Ulaz or Slegirs had been on the ship, having decided to focus on the coalition rather than tag along with them. 

“Coran, any news?” Lance was the one to ask rather than Keith. Coran almost smiled at the thought that Lance was as invested in the health of their guest as Keith was. Keith probably told him how important she had been or could be to the war effort.

“Princess Marmora is awake but unable to talk. I thought Keith might want to come see her before I put her back in the pod to try and fix her voice.” Keith nodded and stepped away from the console. Coran set the water down to rummage through one of the drawers in the nearest console to pull out a tablet for Marmora to write on. He picked the water back up and returned to the door.

“Keep searching, I’ll be back soon.” Keith followed Coran out of the room and down the hall to the infirmary.

When Coran returned he brought a tablet along with a glass of water just as he had promised. Keith also walked into the room behind the Altean. She recognized him even with the scar now marring his face. Marmora tried to speak again but all that came out was a soft wheeze. Keith took the glass from Coran and handed it to her. She took it gratefully and sipped at it while looking up at the Galra. Keith had once been a great soldier under his father’s direct command, a commander in his own right, but something seemed different about him. He seemed more settled than he had been last she saw him. Less tense and calmer than he had been even a decaphoeb before the war started.

“When you feel up to it, can you tell us what you remember?” Keith asked as he took a seat next to Marmora. Coran handed the tablet to her and took the glass so she could type easier. Keith watched as Marmora typed everything she remembered with a shaky hand. Marmora handed the tablet over as soon as she finished. Keith frowned at the words she had typed out. The sentences were short and incomplete. Marmora had better language than that, Keith knew she did. She had been trained as a diplomat just as Allura had been and her charm gave her the ability to wrap many people around her finger. It was probably one of the reasons his father had wanted her dead so bad.

Dinner party. Poisoned and shot. Fought back. ‘Lae stabbed me. Woke up cold. Now this. The words were concerning enough, to find out that Bralae had in fact been the cause of the stab wound that almost killed Marmora put Keith on edge, but to realize that Marmora didn’t remember anything between being stabbed and waking up in the pod was even more concerning. He looked up at her and offered her a smile. It wasn’t a large one nor did it contain any sort of happiness but he hoped it would comfort her regardless.

“There’s much we have to talk about, but first I think it’s best if you get some rest and see if Coran can help you with you vocal cords. Bralae doesn’t know you’re here.” Coran nodded at the suggestion and offered his hand to Marmora to help her back in the pod.

“Let’s get you back in the pod to work on some tests. I will find Keith and Allura when you are ready to speak to them again.” Coran explained as he helped the woman into the pod once again. Keith watched as she turned to face him and Coran turned on the pod. Coran nodded at him as soon as the tests began. Keith turned and left without a word, taking the tablet with him.

Ulaz and Shiro were still searching quadrants when Keith returned. Only Lance and Romelle looked up when he walked in. He set the tablet down on his console, the words Marmora wrote still displayed, and looked up at the four watching him. Ulaz had a curious frown on his lips.

“When we rescued Honerva, I also found Princess Marmora of Rygnirath. She is the one the Blade of Marmora is named for. At the moment she has no memory of what happened after she was stabbed ten thousand decaphoebs ago. Coran is running some tests now to see if he can fix her vocal cords so we can get more information from her.” Keith stated before anyone could ask any questions and tilted his gaze towards the viewing screen which showed where they were searching. His tongue dried in his mouth and his eyes widened slightly as he saw the system they were in as well as the signal indicating someone was there.

“That’s Ruiu. That’s the star Daibazaal and Altea used to revolve around.” Keith hadn’t seen Ruiu for so long he forgot how bright the star was. It shined brighter on Altea than it ever had on Daibazaal. Maybe that had been why he enjoyed being on Altea so much. He enjoyed the light more than his father ever had.

“We’re picking up a quintessence signature that is almost an identical match to Kolivan. It’s a dead planet in the middle of the system.” Shiro explained, turning back to his console and pulling up the image of the planet. Keith frowned. Why would Kolivan be on Rygnirath?

“If that is Kolivan, it may be beneficial for us to wait until Coran has finished testing Marmora.” Keith figured they probably didn’t know what planet they were looking at. As far as he was aware, no one really visited the system anymore. Not since his father destroyed the planets and asteroid belt in the system. “Pull up the star map of this system.”

Lance did as told, pulling up the star map and letting out a small gasp when he realized what the planet was labeled as. Keith walked to the middle of the room to stare at it as well. He pointed to Altea, the second planet nearest Ruiu.

“This is where Altea used to be. Over here, is Daibazaal.” He pointed to the planet on the far side of the system. It wasn’t the last planet in the system but it was close. Since he had been a child, the last planet in his system had been uninhabited. It may even be uninhabitable. They didn’t really have much information recorded about the planet or if anyone had ever explored it. He shook his head and pointed to a planet in the middle. “This is Rygnirath. The former Yellow Paladin was the leader of the only civilization there. Marmora was his daughter. If anyone knows how to look on Rygnirath for Kolivan, it would be her.”

The coordinates matched exactly where Shiro had found Kolivan’s quintessence. Ulaz’s eyes widened as he took in all the information. No one in the Blade knew where their namesake came from so to not only hear about where she came from as well as know that she was on the very same ship as him, sent Ulaz’s mind spiraling. To him, and many of the other Blade members, Marmora was nothing more than a myth to pull a ragtag group of people together. A part of him wanted to meet her, to learn if she knew anything about the beginnings of the Blade, but for now he knew he had to focus on Kolivan. His mate was more important than the organization they served. It always would be.

“The problem is, Allura won’t let us just leave to go look for Kolivan. She’s certain the trans-reality comet will lead us to some way to stop Zarkon.” Lance’s comment spoke the same thought that was on Keith’s mind. Not even he could convince her to let him take Ulaz and Marmora to go look. Anything that could weaken Voltron, even for a few short quintants, was something Allura was against. She had been against them splitting up the last time, and since it had ended with Lance being captured and nearly turned over to Zarkon Keith didn’t expect her to allow it to happen again.

“We’ll just have to convince her. Allura wouldn’t be so heartless as to keep soulmates apart.” Shiro seemed confident in his words though it did little to ease Keith’s concerns.

Before Keith or Ulaz could respond to Shiro’s comment, Allura and Pidge burst into the chamber. All attention was on them as they walked further into the chamber. “We’ve found something incredible!” Pidge exclaimed as they came to a stop in front of Shiro.

“The discovery is quite concerning, however. Honerva’s previous studies of the rift on Daibazaal revealed that the rift was expanding. She and Ryner both believe that with the expansion of the rift, the quintessence of the rift will flow out and begin eating away at the natural quintessence of every living being within the universe. The more the quintessence field is entered, the wider it becomes and the more the quintessence spills out and corrupts the living beings closest to it.” Allura explained, placing a hand on Pidge’s shoulder to calm the Paladin down.

“What does that mean?” Romelle asked, unsure if it was something she wanted to know the answer to. Allura sighed. She glanced over at Keith for a split second and could see the frown on his face. He knew what that meant, or what that could mean for the universe at large.

“It means we need to use the trans-reality comet to close the rift on Daibazaal for good. The only way we can do that is with Voltron.” To Allura’s surprise Keith did not react to the idea of returning home. His face remained schooled in a neutral expression with no indication that he was even listening. If not for his ears twitching, Allura wouldn’t even be sure he was.

“Keith?” Lance grabbed Keith’s attention. His expression softened as he looked at the Cuban and he let out a silent sigh before returning his attention to Allura. He picked up the tablet he had set down earlier and moved to the door.

“Allura, we need to speak.” Allura shot a glance at Lance and Shiro before following Keith out of the chamber. They walked down the hallway towards the infirmary. Contrary to what Allura was surly assuming about him wanting to speak to her, it wasn’t about their certain trip to Daibazaal. If they were already going to be there, he saw no reason why they couldn’t stop by Rygnirath to search for Kolivan.

“Marmora woke up from the pod earlier, while we were searching for Kolivan. When I left her, Coran was attempting to fix her vocal cords with the healing pod. Shiro and Ulaz found Kolivan’s quintessence on Rygnirath.” Allura paused just outside of the door to the infirmary.

“And you want to make a stop there to find him.” Allura didn’t ask because she already knew the answer. “Keith, you know we need to close the rift on Daibazaal. That is more important than any one man. I know Ulaz wants to find Kolivan but we must focus on the task at hand.”

“After we’ve finished on Daibazaal. I know you have never found your soulmate and you don’t care much to learn how Galra feel about their own mates, but you can’t let your prejudice stop us from finding Kolivan. It’s not just a matter of reuniting Ulaz with his own mate, it’s a matter of saving the leader of the Blade of Marmora. Right now, they’re our greatest allies within the Empire. We need them if we are going to stop Zarkon.” Keith sighed and shifted to lean against the wall next to the door. “Remember when I said Galra value their mates above all else? If we don’t help Ulaz find Kolivan, we prove to the Blade and the Empire at large that we don’t care about Galra culture. There’s no way we can take control over the Empire if we don’t prove we care more about the Galra and their soulmates than my father does.”

Allura looked down with a frown. She knew he was right. She didn’t understand how the Galra felt about their mates and she probably never would. Her soul mark had been grey since the day she was born. It gained its color only a few short movements before the war began. As it was, Allura had been afraid to look at it after she woke from the cryopod. What would be worse? Her soul mark still colored or greyed out once more. She had already decided she would never find her soulmate, never create the bond that Keith had with his, before with her brother and now with Lance. She wanted to insist that a trip to Rygnirath would be a waste of time they could be using somewhere else to continue the war efforts, but the look on his face told her she wasn’t going to be able to say no. If she did, there was nothing stopping Keith from taking Ulaz and Marmora to go search for Kolivan by themselves. That would send the same signal to the Galra if Keith felt he had to go behind her back to save someone’s mate.

“Fine, but we stop at Daibazaal first. The quintessence field poses too much of a threat for us to leave it open much longer. It’ll take us at least a movement for us to build the device Honerva and Ryner believe will close the rift as it is.” Keith narrowed his eyes but didn’t reply. The longer it took for them to go to Daibazaal, the more time Marmora had to rest and heal. That also meant that Kolivan was on his own on Rygnirath and without an idea of what he was doing there or if he was injured. Still, it was the best he was going to get from Allura given their current situation. He pushed off the wall and turned to the door as it opened. Coran was still standing by the pod Marmora was in when Keith and Allura entered. He looked up when the door closed behind them.

“Ah, Keith, Princess, you’re just in time. Marmora will be exiting the pod soon. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do to fix the damage done to her throat. The wound has already scarred over far too thick for the healing pod to do anything to help.” Keith frowned at the information, looking up at the pod where the ice was rescinding.

“Will she ever be able to speak?” Allura asked as she also glanced up at the glass of the pod. The glass opened and the mist from the freeze swept out to cover the floor. Marmora looked like she was still sleeping as the pod shut off until her eyes opened once again. She stepped down from the pod, more awake than she had been the last time she woken up in the pod. She looked between Allura and Keith before looking over at Coran. The advisor shook his head in her silent question. Keith cleared the former typing from the tablet and held it out to her.

“The scarring on your throat is too thick for us to reduce. It will be incredibly difficult for you to do even speech therapy to retrain your vocal cords and at the moment we don’t even know if it is possible. Until we know more or you wish to try the therapy, you may use this tablet to communicate.” Coran stated as Marmora took the tablet from Keith. Marmora didn’t seem too upset, as she began typing immediately and after a few ticks and turned it around for the group to see.

“Where is ‘Lae?” Keith frowned at the question. Bralae had betrayed Marmora and nearly killed her. How could she still want to see her? Did she even want to see her?

“She’s on her ship in my father’s central command hub.” Keith replied after a few moments of silent debate. Marmora didn’t seem surprised as she began typing on the tablet once more.

“Does she know about me?” Marmora’s sentences and typing had gotten better. Maybe all she needed was more time to be awake before she could think properly. He looked up at her and shook his head.

“I have not told her about you yet. I wanted to make sure you were comfortable with her knowing before I did so.” As much as Keith had missed his sister, and wanted to give her mate back to her, he would not endanger Marmora or his friends to do so. Not when he still wasn’t sure if he could trust her.

“May we wait until I am better to tell her? I don’t want her to see me like this.” Keith nodded along with Allura and Coran. None of them were willing to deny her that. Not after all she had been through. Allura took a step forward.

“Are you hungry, or tired? I’m sure Hunk would be willing to make you something, and we still have your bed chamber you used when you last visited the Castle.” Allura was determined to keep her comfortable. Marmora shook her head and then began to type.

“I wish to bathe and change into clean clothes.” Keith offered her his hand so he could guide her through the halls towards her chamber. As he walked past the Paladin’s chambers, he told her who was in which one even though she hadn’t met any of them yet. She would likely meet them all when they sat down for dinner. Finally, they stopped in front of the last door in the hall.

“This is your chamber. I’ll have Allura bring you a gown you can borrow until we can get you new clothes.” It was about time for them to go shopping anyways. Romelle had borrowed Allura’s dressed for days until they had returned to Pollux and she grabbed her own clothes. Marmora typed out a thank you before she opened the door to her chamber. Keith turned around and returned to the bridge where Allura and Coran had joined the others.

“How is she?” Shiro asked when he noticed Keith enter. Everyone else who had been working on the comet were there as well. Keith nodded his greetings to them.

“She’s bathing. She will need a change of clothes but otherwise she’ll be fine.” Allura nodded and left the chamber again. Keith turned his attention back to Shiro.

“Coran told us about her vocal cords. Pidge, Matt, and Hunk believe they can create a device to help her speak without irritating her vocal cords. It may take some time before its complete, however.” Shiro stated as he brought Keith’s attention to the three engineers.

“We’re going to be busy with the comet but we can work on it in between the comet.” Keith nodded, thankful they were willing to help someone they hadn’t even met yet, and turned to Ulaz.

“Allura has agreed to make a stop on Rygnirath to look for Kolivan but only after we close the rift on Daibazaal.” Ulaz looked like he wanted to argue but Coran put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“I am afraid there will be no changing her mind. Allura has a minimal understanding of how Galra feel about their mates and she does not have a soulmate to relate to the feeling Galra, and all species, have for their soulmates.” Coran tried to explain, to calm Ulaz down, but he felt his words fell short.

“What do you mean she doesn’t have a soulmate?” Hunk was the one to ask, concern and surprise laced in his voice. Coran sighed and looked at Keith who shrugged in response. He hadn’t been the one to say anything about it in the first place and he knew only so much.

“Allura’s soul mark has been greyed out since the day she was born. Typically that would indicate that her soulmate either had already died or wasn’t born yet but even as she grew, her soul mark never gained color. The only love she ever knew was the love from her family. Please, forgive her for not showing the compassion one would expect when another’s soulmate is in danger.” Coran explained, removing his hand from Ulaz’s shoulder and addressing the entire group.

“But she worried for Lance when he was taken, and she was concerned for Keith when we first found him.” Pidge argued, still unsure how they felt about Allura not having a soulmate.

“Because Keith is like family to her and when Lance was captured, he was as well. She feels that way about each of the Paladins, and Romelle and Krolia as well. By the time she gets used to all of you, she will also feel like you are family. We all have a past we aren’t willing to face. Allura’s is her lack of an emotional intelligence. Since she was a child she has forced her emotions down and pushed them as far down as she could.” Coran had said too much. He hadn’t meant to say that much about the woman he had helped raise but he wanted the Paladins, and the rest of their friends, to understand why she acted the way she did.

“Coran is right. Princess Allura was trained as a diplomat all her life and was never given the chance to be a child. She never explored her emotions or learned how to control them so when she feels them strongly, they explode out of her. Queen Melenor was the same way when she was young. It will take some time for the Princess to understand how other people feel much less how to react to it.” Honerva pitched it, speaking for the first time since she had arrived on the bridge.

“Not to mention the fact that this war is more personal for her than just about anyone else in the universe. We are fighting for our lives and our families; she is fighting to avenge hers. Princess Allura focuses on the war so that it can end and she can have peace.” Krolia seemed to understand the situation better than even Coran. He hadn’t realized how far he had let Allura’s apathy go unchecked.

“Getting back to the matter at hand, how long do you think it’ll take to get this device for the comet ready?” Keith didn’t want to sound impatient but he wanted to have a good idea of the timeline they were looking at. They had enough problems already with Marmora and Kolivan being missing than for their timeline to be pushed back further than it needed to be.

“Hard saying. If everything works the way we hope it will, we should have the converter finished within a week. We’re going off of data Honerva took of the first comet but we can’t be sure the data is the same for this one as it was for that one.” Matt explained calmly. He looked over at Honerva for a split second before looking back at Keith.

“Matt is right. And since this comet matches the chemical structure matches the ore used to create Voltron. We have a good chance of the converter being finished within a week.” Pidge added, gleefully. They had high hopes for the converter. If they worked on both the converter and a communication device for Marmora at the same time, they may get everything done in a week. Assuming everything worked out the way they needed it to.

“I guess we can’t do anything until then. We will have to hope that Kolivan stays safe on Rygnirath until we can get to him. We can’t go near Daibazaal until we have the converter. It is possible Lotor can find us if we act too quickly.” Keith wasn’t happy with the idea but he knew as well as the rest of them, that waiting was their best option.

“We’ll get started on it right away. We may need to stop somewhere to get any materials we’re missing but we can start getting a list together of anything we are missing.” Matt grabbed Pidge by the wrist and dragged his sibling out of the room and back to the storage room that had become a lab for the trans-reality comet. They had work to do and not a lot of time to do it.

Allura searched through her wardrobe for a dress that would fit Marmora. She had lost weight since Allura last saw her, though that didn’t surprise her in the slightest. They still had no idea where she had been for ten thousand decaphoebs but wherever she was it was unlikely she was eating. Allura didn’t remember her time in the cryopod, so she wondered if Marmora was also in a cryopod. It was possible. From what Allura had learned from Honerva, she hadn’t realized that it had been so many decaphoebs until Coran and Allura told her. Had they been in a cryopod to help them heal from their wounds?

Allura didn’t know. She wasn’t sure they would ever get an answer about what happened to the two women. She grabbed a dress that she had meant to get rid of long before the war started since it no longer fit her. Marmora was slightly taller than Allura, and with her weight loss she was much skinner than Allura had ever been, so the Altean princess hoped that the dress would fit Marmora. At least long enough for her to be well enough to go shopping for more clothes. Honestly, they probably should do that for all of the Paladins. Since they hadn’t landed on Earth when they dropped Commander Holt off, they hadn’t been able to get more clothes for the four Paladins.

At the moment, they had to focus on the task at hand. They had to help Marmora get used to being unable to talk and to communicate through the tablet until they could build a communication device. They had to help Ryner and Honerva with building the converter for the comet. They hadn’t yet discussed what they would do after they closed the rift on Daibazaal and searched Rygnirath for Kolivan. Would they search for Lotor, to try and stop him from whatever plan he was scheming now? Or would they begin to build a plan to fight against Zarkon? Allura had no idea what to do after they finished at Rygnirath. Maybe, as they grew closer to their trip to Daibazaal they could figure it out.

Allura took the dress down the hall to Marmora’s chamber. She knocked on the door and waited. The shower wasn’t running, so hopefully she was out of the bathroom so she could hear the knock. A few dobashes later, the door opened and Marmora was standing in front of her with a towel wrapped around her. Allura held out the dress to her.

For some reason she felt nervous as she stared at the woman. There were scars peeking out through the towel and her soul mark was clearly visible. Allura hadn’t actually seen her soul mark before she came out of the pod. It felt strange, almost too intimate for two people who barely knew each other, to be looking at something like this. Allura wasn’t close to Marmora, and certainly wasn’t close to Bralae. She shouldn’t see their soul mark unless it was their choice. Yet she couldn’t deny that the bright purple blade with what she now recognized as the Blades’ insignia peaking from the towel.

“I hope this one fits. If not, I will see if Ryner’s people have something.” Marmora only nodded at her as she took the dress from Allura’s outreached hand. She didn’t shoo Allura out of the chamber nor did she even turn away as she dropped the towel to pull the dress on. Allura averted her gaze so she wasn’t directly watching the woman change. When the sound of fabric moving stopped, Allura looked up. The dress fit nearly perfect. It was a bit shorter than it was supposed to be but it didn’t hang too loosely on Marmora’s thin frame. The bright blues and pinks weren’t as flattering to Marmora’s complexion as her own white gowns had been but at least she had something to wear that wasn’t ripped near to shreds.

“Thank you,” Marmora typed, offering Allura a small smile in appreciation. Allura returned the smile. Though she hadn’t built a friendship with the woman, she was thankful to have another piece of her past with her. Even if it was a small piece of her past.

“Let’s get you something to eat. The Paladin who took over your father’s Lion is a very good cook.” Allura suggested, backing out of the chamber only to stop when she realized Marmora wasn’t following her. She stood in the center of the chamber, exactly where she had been, staring at the floor with a frown. Allura returned to the chamber and reached out to grab Marmora’s hand in hers.

“I know how you must be feeling. It killed me to have to pick new Paladins, and even then the Lions chose them not me. The Yellow Lion chose Hunk before any of the other Paladins were chosen. He’s different than your father but still, he’s worthy of the Lion. He’s as brave as Gyrgan and as fiercely loyal as him as well. Come, meet the new Paladins.” Marmora allowed Allura to pull her out of the chamber, even if she still had the frown on her lips. She wasn’t ready to meet the new Paladins, especially not the one who took over her father’s Lion.


	23. Daibazaal

Nothing was going her way. Bralae knew Honerva was hidden in a facility that was never completed by the people who had initially built it on an abandoned asteroid. Those people were long since dead so it stood to reason that Honerva would be safe there. Bralae had placed Marmora in the same facility in an effort of keeping her safe while she healed. Having Keith find either of them meant that the family secrets were getting out. Secrets Bralae had wanted to keep to herself. She wanted Marmora to heal, so that she could one day apologize for what she had done at her father’s behest. At the time she had been afraid of Khuuval, her father’s strongest warrior. Now she felt nothing but regret. Khuuval was dead and gone. No one in her father’s army had ever reached that level of strength since his death. It was only a matter of time before Haggar realized the truth about what happened to him. Khuuval had a terrible personality, worse than any other Galra she had met beside her father, but he was strong and followed orders to a fault. The circumstances of his death could pose a problem to Bralae, should they get out, but she’d worry about that when the time came.

“Commander, we’ve found Kolivan’s quintessence signature.” Thace had been a godsend. Bralae planned on making sure his soulmate was released from the prisons on her father’s ship as soon as possible to reward him for all of his hard work.

“Send me the coordinates.” She likely wouldn’t be able to go see Kolivan herself but if she could pass them to Keith maybe he could see what happened to the former leader of the Blade.

Her console dinged softly with the incoming message. Her eyes widened as she looked at the coordinates. What was Kolivan doing on Rygnirath? It was no less of a dead planet than Daibazaal. The only difference between the two was that Rygnirath was still in one piece while Daibazaal had been shattered. She frowned. Keith may not be willing to take on this job, and even if he was something told Bralae she shouldn’t ask him to go there in the first place. Rygnirath was personal for her. The memories she had made there had never been able to forget. If Keith had found Marmora, Bralae doubted the woman would be up to going if she was even awake. Her injuries had been rather crude when Bralae moved her from Rygnirath.

“Sinvuk, prepare my pod. I’m taking a trip.” The soldier left without questioning her intent. She had been a valuable asset, but the moment Bralae decided to make her move and kill her father, Sinvuk could just as easily become a thorn. In a way, Sinvuk reminded Bralae of herself when she was much younger only less ambitious.

As soon as the woman exited the bridge, Bralae pulled up the star map with the coordinates highlighted. On the far side of the map, she could see the remains of her home planet. Maybe a trip to Daibazaal would remind her why she had caused so much pain and agony. Why she allowed herself to lose her morality after so many decaphoebs of slaughter and bloodshed.

The week had gone by faster than Keith had expected. True to their word, Pidge had created a communication device to help Marmora speak with Matt and Hunk’s help. It wasn’t the same as actually hearing her speak but the device made things quicker for Marmora to get what she wanted to say out. Her memory of what happened to her after Bralae stabbed her still hadn’t returned but Keith didn’t seem too worried. Marmora hadn’t shown any signs of discomfort at the thought of her memory being suppressed or missing and at this point there was probably nothing they could do about what had happened so many decaphoebs ago.

Pidge, Hunk, and Honerva had finished the conversion device for the comet and had prepared the ore from the comet for the energy conversion. From what Keith had been told – and understood because he wasn’t as educated in the specifics of the trans-reality comet and the rift it had opened on Daibazaal – they wouldn’t have to use the entire ore to close the rift. As it was, the Castle was getting ready to make the wormhole jump to Daibazaal. Allura and Coran had been running around the Castle making sure each of the systems were prepared for the trip. Pidge and Hunk were doing anything they could to help but for the most part, the two stayed in the chamber where the comet was being held.

Shiro and Matt were going over the plans with Ulaz and Krolia for at least the third time since Honerva announced the completion of the converter. Marmora was in her chambers resting. She still hadn’t recovered her strength from all of her injuries, even with the help of the healing pod and Coran’s expertise. The scars made her body stiff and rigid. Keith had a hard time getting her to come out of her chambers for much longer than eating meals and had an even harder time getting her to do her physical therapy to help her muscles regain their strength. He couldn’t blame her in the slightest. She had lost everything but her life and had been thrust into a completely different world than what she remembered. He couldn’t expect her to jump into helping them fight his father and the other Galra as quickly as Allura had. Allura had been given a purpose when her father put her and Coran to sleep. Marmora was supposed to die when the war broke out. Just like her parents had. If Keith hadn’t been chosen as the Paladin of the Red Lion, he probably would have stuck to himself as he came to terms with everything that had happened to him in the last ten thousand decaphoebs. As if he hadn’t had enough solitude while a prisoner.

“Are you still worried about taking Marmora to Rygnirath?” Lance’s head rested against Keith’s shoulder as the two laid on their bed. They had a varga left before the wormhole jump and though Keith wanted to enjoy his time with Lance before then, he couldn’t stop thinking about what they were about to do.

“That’s only part of it. Marmora hasn’t seen the state of her home since it was destroyed. I haven’t been to Daibazaal since before the war began. It feels….strange to think about stepping foot on that planet again.” It wasn’t home. It had never been a home to him but he had spent so much time there that he felt almost uncomfortable going back. In fact, he had never wanted to return to the planet even before his people had abandoned it.

Lance had never been forced to spend time anywhere he felt uncomfortable being with. He had no idea how to comfort Keith, since he couldn’t relate to what the Galra was feeling. Instead of saying anything, he leaned up to place a gentle kiss against the closest strip of skin to him – Keith’s neck. As soon as he had pulled his lips away from his soulmate, Keith rolled over to face him. There was a small smile on his lips that softened Lance’s anxiety. Keith reached over to entwine his fingers around Lance’s as he pulled it up to kiss his knuckles.

Lance wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, wrapped around each other and just basking in each other’s presence. He did know they were approaching the time for the wormhole to open. He nearly jumped in surprise when Allura’s voice over the intercoms sounded to gather everyone on the bridge to prepare for the jump. Keith placed one last kiss on his knuckles before pulling away from Lance.

“You ready?” Lance asked as he stood up and stretched. Keith also stood up and waited for Lance by the door.

“As ready as I can be.” Lance stopped next to him and reached for his hand again. The two walked out together, meeting up with the rest of the Paladins and their friends on the bridge. Lance could almost feel Keith’s nerves and anxiety as Allura stepped up to the center console and began powering the Castle up for the jump. He squeezed Keith’s hand as a way to calm him down.

Across from them, Marmora also looked nervous. Lance couldn’t blame her. She’d had just over a week to learn the fate of her people and those she had loved. That wasn’t long enough to come to terms with all the loss and tragedy. No one around them seemed to take notice to the turmoil the two were going through. Lance did, however, and he wished he could do something to ease that turmoil. Something more than just hold Keith’s hand.

“Everyone get ready. The wormhole is opening.” Allura’s voice broke Lance out of his thoughts and he looked around the room once again. He could see Honerva standing near Marmora, and the other Paladins heading towards their respective seats. Matt stood next to Coran at the Altean’s console. It seemed like Romelle and Acxa decided to stay on Olkarion with Ryner since both women were missing from the room. Ulaz was leaning against the wall furthest from them all. Keith let go of Lance’s hand and even though he knew they needed to be at their own consoles for the jump, Lance didn’t want to leave Keith’s side. Maybe he was just as anxious as Keith was at visiting Daibazaal. Over the past week his memories as Lancel had hit him with full force, showing him various memories of his life and his time with Keith. Lancel had never stepped foot on Daibazaal, but the desire to see where Keith had grown up was something Lance shared with his past life.

Keith sunk into his chair and watched his screen as the wormhole opened. They were that much closer to him going home. Not home. To his birthplace. Daibazaal wasn’t home, he reminded himself, even if he had grown up on the planet. Daibazaal represented everything that was wrong with the Galra empire. Everything that was wrong with _him_. Going back was like facing everything he hated about his father and his people, and most importantly what he hated about himself.

Before Keith knew it, the wormhole was fully opened and the Castle had entered it. His anxiety spiked as his home planet came into view on both his screen and the windows along the front wall of the chamber. He hadn’t seen firsthand what the blast from the rift had done to the planet. Seeing the chunks strewn about from the rest of the planet shocked him in a way he hadn’t expected it to. He had thought Daibazaal was is smaller pieces than it was, too small to continue occupying the planet. Yet the majority of the land the Empire occupied was still in one piece. If they closed the rift, it may even be habitable.

Allura took the Castle closer to the planet, careful in case the rift was as unstable as they thought it was. Coran was keeping an eye on the quintessence levels as they approached. Hunk had diverted the power from every system they could spare towards the shields in case the quintessence was radioactive. Honerva couldn’t be sure what the state of the rift was or how much quintessence was pouring out after so many decaphoebs of it being left untouched.

Finally the Castle landed on Daibazaal. They were in the exact spot Zarkon’s palace used to stand. Everyone was silent for a moment while Coran and Honerva checked the quintessence levels again. Nothing happened, the levels remained even, so Allura ordered everyone to put their armor and flight suits on. Marmora and Honerva were the last two to leave the bridge as the group filed out to do as told, leaving Coran and Matt alone to keep an eye on the Castle and quintessence levels.

Keith was in a daze as he slipped into the flight suit and placed the armor on over it. His heart was beating erratically even as he pulled his helmet on. When he was done he waited by the door where Lance and Shiro were already standing. A few ticks later, Hunk and Pidge joined them. As a group, the five of them walked back to the bridge where they separated to go to their Lions. Before Keith had even realized it, he was sitting in the cockpit of the Red Lion.

“Alright, we’re going to be careful. Don’t break formation until we get to the rift. Honerva, Marmora and I will be following you in a pod with the converter.” Keith was sure that Allura said more than that but he zoned out as the door to his hanger opened.

As Keith fell into formation between Lance and Shiro, he got the first glimpse of the surface of Daibazaal. Honestly, if the rift wasn’t as unstable was it currently was, his people could probably return to their home. While all of the buildings no longer stood where he remembered them to be, the plant life seemed to thrive. Before the blast from the rift, Daibazaal didn’t have a lot of flora that could even grow in the dry soil of the planet. He hadn’t seen any other signs of life but that didn’t mean his planet was unable to be recovered. The Galra had lived on the planet for decaphoebs with little sustenance occurring naturally. The only thing stopping anyone from inhabiting the desolate planet was the rift that made the ground unstable. There was a sliver of hope, deep in Keith as he examined his birthplace for the first time in over ten thousand decaphoebs, that maybe the Galra could return to Daibazaal and end the war. It had been a war of territory in the beginning. 

Shiro stopped at the coordinates Coran had given him. Keith and Lance stopped next to him. The pod stopped in front of the Green and Black Lions and Keith watched as the three women exited the pod. As Honerva unloaded the converter from the back of the pod, Keith left his Lion. The other Paladins had done the same thing and were behind the pod watching Honerva work.

“Before we can even begin to close the rift, we need to stabilize it.” Honerva explained as she turned the machine on. Keith didn’t pretend to understand what she was saying or doing but he could see the confused look on Lance’s expression. He shook his head when Lance looked at him and turned his gaze back to the rift. Something felt off. It wasn’t just being there that had Keith on edge. Something in the air felt wrong. Maybe it was the quintessence saturating the air and soil, but this didn’t feel like the Daibazaal he remembered. Cautiously, Keith turned to look at back at the castle. He saw the ship landing in the area between them and the Castle before he heard Coran’s warning over the comms.

Commander Sam Holt hadn’t expected a warm welcome when he returned to Earth. First, his pod had been shot out of the sky before he could even get close enough to the Garrison to make contact and tell them who he was. If it hadn’t been for the advanced technology of the Altean pods, Sam was sure he would have died during the landing. Instead, the shields activated after the first hit and softened the landing. He still been thrown around the front of the pod. When the officers of the Garrison pulled him from the pod he was bleeding from his head, had lacerations and burns along his arms and hands, and a broken leg. As soon as his injuries were tended to, as minimally as they possibly could be, Admiral Sanda had him placed in a holding cell until they could question him.

For the last week he hadn’t heard anything from the officers other than receiving his food each day. Each day, he tried to explain to whoever brought him his meals what had happened but no one seemed to listen. One had even called him a filthy insane old man. He hadn’t been given the chance to change clothes or bathe since he was locked in the cell. He hadn’t even had the chance to contact his dear wife. Poor Colleen had no idea that he was alive, let alone on Earth again. If he spent much longer in the cell with no one to talk to, he very well may become insane. Somehow, this was worse than being Zarkon’s prisoner. There, he had a task to do even if it was against his will. All he had to keep himself sane was the pain pulsing from his wounds.

The door creaked open and shut again as quietly as a door that heavy could get, bringing Sam’s attention up from prodding at the festering wound on his palm. When he saw the man who had walked through the door, Sam pressed harshly against the wound resulting in an unintentional hiss of pain escaping his lips. He frowned as blood and puss oozed from the wound and he returned his attention to Commander Iverson. The man didn’t speak as he came to a stop in front of the imprisoned man. For a few silent moments, he watched as Commander Holt picked at the irritated wound.

“If you pick at it like that, you’ll make it worse.” Honestly, it both amazed and disgusted that the infection of his wounds hadn’t yet begun to spread. Iverson would have to look into getting him more medical attention.

“Maybe that’s what I want.” Sam’s eyes returned to the fluids oozing from his hand. If he made the wound worse maybe he would get Admiral Sanda’s attention. Iverson didn’t reply, instead he leaned against the wall opposite of the cell.

“I spoke to your wife this morning.” That caught Sam’s attention. He didn’t lift his gaze from his hand, but the prodding stopped. “I apologize for taking so long to get a hold of her. Sanda’s been up our asses trying to identify the ship you returned in. It’s alien, isn’t it?”

Sam still didn’t respond. He wanted to hear more about Iverson’s conversation with Colleen rather than where the ship had come from. None of them had talked to him since they shot him down but they could focus all of their attention on the ship he returned in? He owed them no answers.

“I have advised Colleen to remain at home until I can get you out of here.” Sam nearly laughed at that. He wasn’t getting out. Admiral Sanda wasn’t going to just let him go after treating him like this. There was a chance he could expose her actions, and those of the Garrison as a whole, to the world and lose funding. “We also found a video file on the mainframe of the ship. You’re lucky I was able to back up the video before Officer Harris deleted it. Admiral Sanda plans to sweep the missing students under the rug, so to speak. That video is the only proof we have that the three cadets are missing and still alive. I'm not going to let her hide this.” 

Iverson had a plan to get Sam out of his confinement. It would take some time and if he could actually pull it off by himself it would be a miracle, but he had a plan. Sam still hadn’t looked up to the other man since he first entered. “Give me some time, and I’ll do everything I can to help you.”

The Commander turned to leave, not expecting a response since he hadn’t gotten one for the entire duration of the conversation. If it could be called a conversation since it was one-sided. However, just as he reached the door, Sam looked up and caught his attention.

“Tell Colleen that I’m sorry, and that I love her.” Iverson didn’t look back to acknowledge the request but Sam knew he heard it. He at least owed it to Colleen and Sam to pass the message along. Colleen could have easily sued the Garrison for the loss of her husband and son, let alone the fact that her daughter was banned from the Garrison and still managed to disappear under their watch. But she hadn’t. Yet at least.

The door closed with a light thud behind him and Iverson had to resist the sigh that bubbled in his chest. In front of him stood Admiral Sanda and Senior Officer Veronica McClain. Both looked at him expectantly. Iverson was supposed to go in and try to get answers from Commander Holt but even he knew that the man wouldn’t speak after how Admiral Sanda was treating him. He shook his head.

“All he requested was someone to look at his wounds. They’re getting infected and he may lose his hand if we don’t treat him.” Admiral Sanda huffed unhappily before she turned and left the two alone. Veronica watched her leave before turning back to Iverson with narrowed eyes.

“Does he know anything about my brother?” Veronica didn’t care about the crash or the alien pod. All she cared about was finding out what happened to Lance and his friends. Honestly, she probably didn’t even care about the other cadets as much as she cared about her brother. It made her feel terrible, but she had been the one to push Lance into joining the Garrison in the first place.

“He didn’t say.” Iverson looked around to make sure they were still alone. “However, there is something you should see. Follow me.”

Iverson led Veronica to his office. Once inside, with the door closed and locked, he pulled up the video from the strange ship Commander Holt arrived in and pressed play. The first face on the screen was Captain Shirogane’s. Iverson forwarded through the video until Lance appeared. He heard Veronica gasp as she saw her brother for the first time in nearly eight months.

Lance’s hair was different, stark white rather than the light brown it had been, and his ears were drastically pointed, but his eyes were the same shade of blue she remembered. Still, it was her brother and Veronica could feel her heart swelling with happiness of it all. Iverson turned the sound up so she could hear what he was saying. 

The video itself seemed corrupted, some of the video and sound was missing, but from what Veronica could see, Lance was doing okay. Even if what he was saying made no sense to her. Voltron? Aliens? An intergalactic war? Reincarnation? None of it made sense to Veronica. Regardless, Lance seemed happy.

_“-leaving like that. I’m safe here with Allura, Coran and the other Paladins. There’s other things I need to say though. I…I found my soulmate. He’s amazing and strong. Hopefully one day, we can come home and you can meet him. Keith is incredible and I love him with everything I have. I just want to be happy with him.”_

There was something about the way Lance said that, about how he talked about his soulmate that set Veronica on edge. He didn’t sound as happy as he had when speaking about the war and his position as a Paladin. She knew, as well as Lance probably did, that their mother wasn’t the most open minded when it came to her children’s soulmates. If their mother didn’t accept this man, Keith, then there would be nothing either any of their siblings could do to help him. The video ended without more information. Veronica looked up at Iverson with a deep frown.

“Did you understand any of that? Has he ever spoken about aliens or this…Voltron…before?” Iverson looked just as confused as Veronica felt. She knew something alien was going on she just couldn’t be sure what. Veronica shook her head.

“All Lance talked about before his disappearance was how hard he was working at becoming a fighter pilot. I know he struggled with the simulator. The last conversation I had with him Lance wanted me to help get him permission to use the simulator to practice after classes.” Veronica hadn’t wanted to use her position to give Lance special opportunities. She knew that if Lance had asked Iverson for extra practice, the man would accommodate him but she also knew that Lance was intimidated by his teacher.

“I have a feeling this is something to do with that mechanical lion we caught on the security feed. Until we get more information or Commander Holt starts talking, I want to keep this between the two of us. Admiral Sanda can’t be trusted until we have proof.” Veronica nodded her agreement and dismissed herself from Iverson’s office to return to her station. She wanted to see more of the video but at the moment she had to remain inconspicuous. If they were going to get Commander Holt out of that prison cell and get information from him, they needed to be careful.

Lance took in the geography of the dead planet around him. The rocky terrain and the way the soil glowed purple was eerie. The surrounding area was dark. To Lance it felt like he was in the cave where they had found the Yellow Lion all over again, yet scarier. This was where Keith had grown up. Except it wasn’t. Not really. Keith grew up in a palace on Daibazaal that no longer existed. They had never talked about what Daibazaal looked like, and Lancel had never been there so Lance didn’t have any of his memories to go off of, so Lance couldn’t even be sure if this was what it looked like over ten thousand years ago.

Coran’s warning startled Lance out of his thoughts. He turned around to see a ship landing in between the Castle and the Lions. Lance recognized the ship and felt the color drain from his face. They hadn’t had the chance to finish stabilizing the rift and if Lotor was there to stop them there would be a fight.

The door to Lotor’s ship opened slowly. Lance felt his muscles tense in anticipation of the Galran prince to step out. It took a while for him to leave the ship but by the time he did, Lance noticed Keith had pulled his bayard out. Lance’s hand was positioned so he could summon his bayard at a moment’s notice.

Lotor descended the ramp with the swagger of royalty. Lance supposed he was royalty but he had a different walk than Keith did. Keith walked with the confidence and stature of a warrior meanwhile Lotor’s confidence was completely different. Lotor’s stature was almost like he was confident in his title rather than his abilities. Lance hadn’t seen him fight before, as his generals had been in charge of keeping Lance in line when he was on his ship.

Lance glanced over at where Shiro was just as tense as he prepared for a fight. Behind them, Allura growled softly. With their helmets on, Marmora and Honerva were unrecognizable. Lance wasn’t sure if they were ready to see Lotor again, or if they even knew who he was, but he was prepared to protect them. Keith stepped forward to meet Lotor when the younger stepped closer to them. It seemed like Lotor was along but Lance wasn’t sure if he would trust the man even alone.

“Your arrogance is astounding. You dare return to our home after siding with the very people who tore it down?” Lotor’s words were directed at Keith but Lance felt himself tense up with the desire to defend his soulmate. He resisted that desire but his fingers twitched to summon his bayard.

“That’s a bold statement from someone who is half Altean. Can you even call Daibazaal your home considering you were raised on a ship? Did you learn nothing from the way our father tried to kill your mother?” Keith retorted without hesitation. Lance glanced back at where Honerva was still working with the converter. Marmora was on the other side of the converter but she had kept her head down. While neither woman looked towards them, Lance was sure they were listening. Behind Lotor, Lance could see another ship landing further away. He frowned. Coran offered no warning, which indicated they had a cloaking program as well. 

“You betrayed your Empire. Father should have killed you when he had the chance.” Lotor had a blaster in his hand aimed directly at Keith. Lance summoned his bayard. He wasn’t sure if Lotor had called for backup and this was another enemy or if it was someone else coming to either side’s aid. He hadn’t forgotten how Bralae had helped him escape her ship after Lotor brought him there.

Keith didn’t respond. He could also see the figure running up to them from behind his brother. Each of the Paladins were ready with their bayards transformed, or Shiro’s Galran arm rather than his bayard, and aimed at Lotor. As the figure grew closer, Lance noticed Keith’s body relax some. Lance didn’t. Not while Lotor was in front of them.

As if in slow motion, Lotor’s finger moved to the trigger and started pulling it just as the person running up to him reached him and sliced his hand off. The blast that shot off blew a hole in the ground. Lotor was frozen in shock as he held his bleeding wrist. All eyes snapped to the person who still had the sword in their hand.

“What did you do?” Lotor’s voice was high pitched and laced with pain and panic. His eyes were wide as they snapped to the person next to him and he gripped his wrist just above the amputation in an attempt to slow the bleeding. Lance felt sick at the sight of his blood, even if he had wanted the man dead only a few weeks before. The figure stood up straight and lowered their sword.

“Father wants him alive. If you kill him now you’ll face severe punishment.” Lance recognized Bralae’s voice. It seemed everyone had as they also relaxed some. Keith lowered his bayard and let it disappear into his armor once more. Lance followed suit.

“To hell with what father said! He’s a traitor to our people!” Bralae sheathed her sword but kept her guard up. Lotor was weaponless and if he took his hand off his wrist, his blood would flow faster. Lance glanced at Keith but by doing so he had missed Bralae knocking Lotor unconscious. All he heard was the thump of his body as it fell to the ground. Bralae stared at him for a moment before looking up and approaching Keith. Honerva and Marmora finally looked up and Keith turned to them for a moment.

“We are ready for the conversion.” Allura stared at Keith for a moment before nodding to herself and turning to help Honerva and Marmora with the converter. Pidge stepped forward as well and took over for Marmora. Lance glanced back at Keith with a frown. Keith had turned to his sister and the two had a hushed conversation. Marmora seemed to be staying next to Allura as much as possible. Lance couldn’t blame her. From what she said, Bralae had been the one to nearly kill her when the war broke out. Lance wasn’t sure if Marmora was ready to see Bralae yet.

A bright glow brought Lance’s attention to the rift. The blueish laser illuminated the darkness that surrounded them. Lance had to shut his eyes for a second to keep from being blinded. When he opened his eyes again, the glow had dimmed to a manageable brightness and Lance could actually look at the rift.

He hadn’t looked at it when they arrived, being too distracted by the other geography around them. Now that his entire focus was on the rift he realized how big it really was. The ground was split open, creating a canyon almost. Lance had seen nothing like it before. The only way he could describe it was…creepy and strange. It was almost out of one of those horrible sci-fi movies Veronica used to watch when they were younger. Except, he supposed those movies had things right in a way. There were eerie canyons on dead planets in the universe.

The process of closing the rift was gradual. The rift had to absorb the energy the converter gave off before it would have change at all. Lance could feel the quintessence waving over them from the rift upon arriving but now it felt like a bubble burst and more washed over them. It made him feel sick. His stomach churned as the rift took in more of the energy from the converter. The more energy the rift took in the dimmer the glow it let off got. The longer it went on the worse Lance felt. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take too much longer and he could get back to the Castle and go lay down. Suddenly, Lance felt Keith’s arms around his shoulders as if he was holding him up. Lance let Keith hold his weight as a wave of exhaustion hit him.

Keith said something to Shiro before pulling Lance with him away from the rift. His legs felt like jelly as Keith pulled him to the Castle. Someone behind him also placed their hands on his shoulders, just above Keith’s, and helped guide him. Lance couldn’t even be sure how long it had taken for them to make it to the castle but Coran met them at the entrance and offered Lance a drink. Whoever was behind him – Allura he thought - took it instead while Keith helped Lance to a seat so he could rest. Putting distance between him and the rift didn’t stop how sick Lance felt.

Voices spoke around him but Lance couldn’t focus. As Keith pulled his helmet off and held the cup to his lips, Lance’s mind felt like putty. He was doing the best he could to follow the conversation and drink from the cup but he almost felt like a zombie. The last time he had felt this bad was when he was younger and stuck home in the heat of Cuba with the flu. That fever had nearly killed him then and the quintessence from the rift made him feel the same as then.

“He’s reacting badly to the quintessence from the rift. Marmora, get him in a healing pod so I can monitor him until we leave Daibazaal.” Coran’s loud voice rang in Lance’s ears as gentle hands pulled Lance from his chair. Now that her helmet was off, Lance could make out Marmora’s soft yellow skin as she walked backwards to help him walk. Keith, he assumed, was behind him as they walked down to the med bay. Lance was stripped of his armor and walked to the pod. The last thing he remembered before his consciousness faded to black was the familiar cold of the pod as it was turned on.


	24. Sorrow

Lotor was becoming the bane of Keith’s existence. Lotor had been born only a phoeb before Daibazaal was destroyed so Keith assumed he didn’t remember his birth planet. Even Keith had forgotten much of what Daibazaal looked like after so long of being away from it. It was entirely possible that Lotor wanted to see where he came from but surely their father would have warned him against doing so. Would Lotor have actually ignored their father, even as he tried to get into his good graces again, to see the place he was born on.

Keith could feel the quintessence as soon as he stepped out of his Lion. He knew, even with Honerva and Coran telling them before they landed, that if they took too long there they could die. None of them knew how the Humans would react to the radioactive quintessence. Lotor being there was a nuisance that was quickly becoming a problem.

Lotor’s taunts did nothing more than annoy Keith. He hadn’t spent much time with his brother before his captivity, and even less after his father imprisoned him. Keith knew very little about his brother but what he did know was that Lotor bought into their father’s hatred of Alteans and blamed the entire war on Alfor. Keith wasn’t sure why he was there, but he knew it wasn’t because he wanted to honor his ancestry. If that were true, he’d be fighting for the rebellion rather than with his father.

“That’s a bold statement from someone who is half Altean. Can you even call Daibazaal your home considering you were raised on a ship? Did you learn nothing from the way our father tried to kill your mother?” To Keith, Lotor was nothing more than an ignorant child who tried to pretend to be an adult. Keith had nearly twenty decaphoebs on him and still didn’t understand his father’s reasonings for the war. It wasn’t just a matter of pride for Zarkon. They both knew, as had much of the Empire at the time, that they could survive just fine without Daibazaal. Eventually the planet would die. They all knew that since Honerva and Alfor had begun their examination of the rift. The planet was practically a ticking time bomb with the rift oozing out quintessence like it had. It seemed it hadn’t slowed down any since the Galra abandoned it.

Whatever Lotor said in response, Keith didn’t hear it. He was focused on the ship that had just landed behind the castle, over the ridge that dove down to where homes used to stand. Coran hadn’t said anything about the ship but Keith recognized it as Galran. He hoped it was either someone from the Blades or even his sister. Anyone but backup for Lotor. As Lotor aimed his blaster at Keith’s face, the elder summoned his bayard and let it transform into his sword but made no move to stop his brother. There was someone running towards him. Keith was sure he knew who it was.

The closer the person grew to them the more sure Keith was about their identity. He had only ever met one Galra who could run that quickly and quietly with that stature. He almost smirked to himself as Bralae came upon them, sword drawn, and sliced their brother’s hand off. He heard it fall to the ground with a light thud as Lotor stared at Bralae incredulously.

“What did you do?!?” Bralae stood as Lotor gripped his arm as if his life depended on it. Lotor wouldn’t die without immediate medical attention or from blood loss as they talked but Keith was sure he was in immense pain. Keith almost wanted to laugh at his brother’s pain but there were other things he needed to worry about. Besides, he’d been in pain like that before. Worse than that.

“Father wants him alive. If you kill him now you’ll face severe punishment. Worse than you’ve already faced.” Keith couldn’t tell if Bralae was lying or if their father actually wanted him alive. Zarkon had plenty of opportunities to kill him before he escaped yet kept him alive all those decaphoebs. He wasn’t sure if that was because Zarkon wanted him to suffer without his soulmate there or if Zarkon knew about Lance and wanted to kill Keith personally in front of him. Or even kill Lance in front of Keith as he had with Lancel. Keith’s heart raced as panic began to take over his rationality. He had to take a slow deep breath to keep himself from letting the panic show.

“To hell with what father said! He’s a traitor to our people!” Lotor’s exclamation broke Keith out of his panic. So it wasn’t a lie. He glanced over at Lance, to see him looking at him as well, before turning his gaze back to his brother. He needed to get rid of Lotor before he could focus on how sick Lance looked. Bralae hadn’t responded verbally. Instead, she reached up and used the hilt of her sword to hit the back of Lotor’s head. Where she hit him had immediately killed his consciousness. It was a move they both had learned when they were training for the army. As Lotor’s body fell to the ground, Bralae turned and approached him.

“What are you doing here?” Keith kept his voice low so that the others didn’t hear him; he didn’t want to put his sister in a position that would compromise her. At the same time, he also didn’t want to make Marmora uncomfortable. She still wasn’t ready to face Bralae and if Keith had known this was going to happen, he would have encouraged her to stay on the Castle with Coran and Krolia.

“I found Kolivan’s coordinates. I came here first to pay my respects to those who’ve lost their lives in the war. What are you doing here?” Bralae also kept her voice quiet as she spoke. She shot her gaze over to the other four Paladins but said nothing to any of them. They had all looked over at the converter as it shot its beam into the rift.

“We’re trying to close the rift. If the calculations are right, the quintessence inside could keep growing stronger until it explodes and takes out most of the universe with it.” Bralae looked over at the group of women standing by the converter.

“I recognize Allura, and I’m sure that was Honerva’s voice but who is the other one?” Keith swallowed thickly as he also looked over to them. Bralae couldn’t see the hesitation on his face as he

“She doesn’t want to be identified at this point in time. When she does, I’ll tell you.” He’d made a promise to Marmora and he intended on keeping it even if it meant lying to his sister. Bralae accepted the answer without argument and turned fully to watch the rift. Keith stepped back in formation next to Lance, leaving his sister behind them.

Something was wrong. Keith knew that the quintessence was strong, but Lance looked like he was going to get sick any moment. He was rapidly growing paler as the color drained from his face. Given how closely his quintessence matched with Lancel’s it wasn’t all that surprising to Keith that Lance was being affected so badly. He wrapped an arm around Lance’s waist to help steady him just as Lance started to sway. Keith turned to Shiro.

“I’m going to take him back to the ship. He doesn’t look that great.” Shiro nodded his agreement and stepped forward to talk to the women as Keith turned Lance around and begun walking him back towards the Castle. He’d come back for their Lions afterward when he knew Lance was safe. He could heard Allura tell Coran over the comms that he and Lance were coming back early but it felt like static in his ears.

They had only taken a few steps forward before Keith noticed Marmora walking up behind them. She had a look of concern on her face and was completely avoiding the surprised gaze Bralae sent her way. Keith almost frowned at his sister. She looked so hurt as she watched the three of them walk away. He had kept her soulmate’s identity a secret from her because Marmora had wanted to meet Bralae again on her own terms, not because he blamed her for what happened between them. But he doubted she’d see things that way.

Marmora opened the entrance to the Castle and let Keith get Lance on first before she followed them. Coran met them at the entrance and already had a cup of Sumatol, a medicine that Coran’s grandfather had helped develop in the early stages of the Castle being built, in hand for Lance. Keith wasn’t sure if it would allow him to be able to handle with quintessence form the rift, but it would at least help him feel better and ground him to what was going on around him. Keith worked on taking Lance’s helmet off while Coran used a handheld medical scanner to diagnose him. Keith was sure he already knew what was wrong, but Coran was the one who handled the medical needs of the team.

“Why is he getting sick and the other Humans aren’t?” The computerized voice that Keith now associated with Marmora broke through the silence. Keith didn’t spare her a glance as he took the cup from Coran and held it up to Lance’s lips to encourage him to drink it.

“He has Altean quintessence but he was born Human. Lance is likely to be more sensitive to quintessence than other Humans.” Coran explained as he pulled the scanner away from Lance. Keith glanced up at Coran for confirmation about Lance’s diagnosis. Coran nodded at him with a solemn expression.

“He’s reacting badly to the quintessence from the rift. Marmora, get him in a healing pod so I can monitor him until we leave Daibazaal.” Marmora quickly grabbed Lance’s arms and pulled him until he was standing up. From there, she walked with him, backwards so she could keep an eye on his consciousness, while Keith supported him from behind. Together they stripped him of his armor. As Marmora pushed Lance into the first pod in the med bay, Keith moved to the console to turn the system on. He watched with a grim expression as the pod turned on and slowly froze Lance. Lance’s confused expression didn’t change the entire time. Keith turned away and left the chamber with Marmora right behind him. He needed to get the Lions back before they left, and he would rather do so sooner rather than later.

Bralae watched with sorrow growing in her heart as the woman Keith told her hadn’t wanted to be identified walked away with him. Away from her. Even with the helmet on, hiding most of her features, Bralae could recognize Marmora. Marmora had walked right past her and didn’t even so much as look at her. That broke her heart in a way she hadn’t felt before. Not even when she had stabbed her soulmate on her father’s orders. Then, she kept telling herself that everything would be fine, because she would find a way to save her despite her injuries. It hurt, especially seeing the look of betrayal on Marmora’s face as she stabbed her, but the pain only lasted a few quintants. This pain was different. She had told herself that Marmora would understand, would forgive her for what she had done but the way Marmora avoided eye contact with her told Bralae that she wasn’t forgiven. That hurt more than her own betrayal had. That hurt more than her own betrayal had. She doubted this pain would go away anytime soon.

As Keith and Marmora exited her line of sight, Bralae turned back to the rift. Whatever Honerva was doing seemed to be working. The thickness of the quintessence in the air was dampening and the glow from the rift was growing dimmer. She could see how the soil darkened as the quintessence left the ground. The machine Honerva used was draining the quintessence from the planet itself as well as the rift. If this continued, Daibazaal would truly be dead. Bralae couldn’t convince herself that was necessarily a bad thing. She, along with many in the Galra Empire, had clung to that hope that they could one day return to their home. They had survived for ten thousand decaphoebs without Daibazaal. They could continue to survive without the planet. They lived on ships now. They didn’t need Daibazaal.

Slowly, the quintessence in the rift grew less and less until it closed completely. The atmosphere shifted from the suffocating aura to one lighter, cleaner. This was the atmosphere she chose to remember from Daibazaal. The remaining Paladins moved to help Honerva move the machine over to the pod in between the Green and Black Lions. Allura walked over to her, catching her attention.

“I am surprised to see you here, Bralae. I thought you were looking for Kolivan?” Bralae hadn’t spent a lot of time with Allura before the war, and honestly she’d thought Allura was much more conceited than her father or brother ever were. Bralae wasn’t sure that Allura had changed much since she woke from the cryo-pod, but she wanted them to know where Kolivan was. If she didn’t have to go there, she could plan out her next steps.

“Sometimes I come back here to remind myself why I still fight in this war. It’s hard to stay motivated when everyone I love has been either imprisoned or thought to be dead.” Bralae resisted the urge to look back at the Castle where she knew Marmora was. “I was on my way to look for Kolivan but thought I’d come here first. When I arrived I saw you guys and Lotor’s ship here. I feared for what Lotor would do with you all here. Last time I saw him, he had kidnapped one of your Paladins and blackmailed our brother.”

“I supposed I should thank you for helping us with Lotor.” Allura had a frown on her expression as she looked over at where Lotor’s body was still crumpled on the ground. “We are heading over to Rygnirath next. Our scans showed Kolivan’s quintessence was there.”

Bralae nodded, unsurprised by that information. If she knew about him then it wasn’t that far of a stretch for the Paladins to also find that information. She looked over to the pod where Honerva had finally gotten the machine in and the Paladins were heading to their Lions.

“I’ll leave Kolivan to you then. I should take Lotor to Haggar to get patched up.” There was still much that Bralae wanted to know but there wasn’t enough time for her to actually ask all of the questions she had. She would do so eventually, but for now she would let the Paladins focus on Kolivan. She walked over to her brother and picked him up, slumping him over her shoulder and carrying him over to her ship. As she passed the Castle, she saw her brother exiting, no doubt to pilot his Lion back to the Castle. They made eye contact but neither stopped as they walked in opposite directions.

Keith came to a stop by the Red Lion. He had seen Bralae carrying Lotor off, probably to her ship, but he was still surprised to see the activity around the Lions. Allura had moved over to the pod and was helping Honerva secure the converter down. Hunk and Pidge were already inside their Lions, leaving just Shiro and Keith.

“How’s Lance?” Shiro made no move to enter his Lion, though the ramp was down for him to do so. Keith turned to look at him, seeing the worried expression tugging at his face. Keith knew that Shiro felt responsible for all of the Paladins, especially the Humans, so he was probably as worried about Lance as Keith was.

“He had a strong reaction to the quintessence from the rift. Right now he’s in a cryo-pod. Coran wants him to stay in it until we leave Daibazaal. I’m going to bring Blue back before Red.” Shiro nodded but didn’t move still. Pidge and Hunk left, following the pod back to the Castle.

“I’ll stay here to keep guard over Red.” Keith nodded as he walked over to the Blue Lion and waited for her to open up for him. It took a dobash before she did, and in that time Keith worried that he wouldn’t be able to fly Blue the way Lance could fly Red. His quintessence wasn’t as malleable as Lance’s was, but he hoped their connection as soulmates would be enough for Blue to trust him.

Blue’s interior felt cold compared to Red. Keith assumed it was because Blue had ice and water as an element whereas Red had fire and lava. At the same time, Keith wondered if it was because Blue could tell something was wrong with Lance and that was the reason Keith was piloting her. He shook those thoughts from his head as he sat down. Blue flared to life around him and practically piloted herself back to the Castle. All Keith did was guide Blue back to the hangar. Blue shut down almost immediately after and Keith stood up. He placed a hand on her console, as if to comfort her.

“Lance will be okay Blue. I’ll make sure of it.” As he walked away, Keith could practically feel Blue hum in his head, the vibrations of it jolting through his body. Blue was also worried about Lance. The sooner they could get off Daibazaal, the better for them all.

Keith made his way back out to where Shiro was standing in between the two remaining Lions. As soon as Shiro saw him, he entered his Lion. Keith followed suit without hesitation, slouching in Red’s pilot seat with a heavy sigh. He followed Shiro back to the Castle, going only a bit slower than he had with Blue.

Keith settled Red in her hangar and began walking down the ramp when he felt the Castle push off from the surface of Daibazaal. He never felt more relieved to leave the planet than he had right then. The sooner they got away, the better off all of them would be. Not that he didn’t trust Honerva and her calculations, especially because they were double and triple checked by Pidge and Hunk, but Keith didn’t trust the rift to close that easily. It may have taken them nearly a varga and a half to convert the energy and close the rift but Keith felt it was too easy.

The med bay was nearly empty when Keith walked in. Lance was still in the pod but he looked much better than he did when Keith had left him. Marmora and Hunk were sitting on opposite sides of the room, watching the scanners to see if there were any changes. The Castle shook slightly as they entered a wormhole, a feeling Keith no longer found foreign, and he also took a seat. It was only a matter of time before the quintessence levels in Lance’s system evened out and the pod released him. He wanted to be there when Lance woke up. Just as Keith settled down into the chair, the door opened again. Honerva walked in and stopped next to Marmora.

“Princess Allura said we will be arriving at Rygnirath in just under fifteen dobashes. How is the Blue Paladin?” Honerva had yet to actually spend time with any of the other Paladins but Keith could tell she was worried. Whether that was because she knew how a reaction to quintessence could affect the body or if she worried about his ability to continue the war, Keith didn’t know.

“If the scanners and Coran are right, he should be released and wake up soon. We won’t know the damage the quintessence did to his mind until he wakes up but for now, his body is in good shape.” Marmora was the one to answer. Keith saw Honerva smile softly before she dropped it back into a neutral expression.

“I would like to take a look at him after he is released if that is alright. I spent decaphoebs studying that rift and the quintessence that came out of it. Just because the scanners aren’t showing any abnormalities, doesn’t mean they aren’t there.” Honerva looked directly at Keith. He nodded his agreement, trusting Honerva with his own life as much as Lance’s, and looked back up at Lance’s frozen face. He heard the door open and close again, signaling Honerva’s departure.

“Is she always so formal and strict?” Keith almost let out a laugh at Hunk’s question. He knew the Yellow Paladin was used to less formal speech patterns even with how strict and rigid Lance made the Garrison sound. A glance over at Marmora revealed she was trying to hide a smile in her hand. Keith still saw it.

“She was an Empress before the war. Before that, she worked under King Alfor as a scientist in the Castle. She’s been a part of the life of Royalty since before Allura was even born.” Keith offered as an explanation.

“Honerva also grew up in a time where that was how Alteans spoke. My father used to humiliate King Alfor for how his speech slipped as he grew older.” Marmora added; the robotic voice didn’t portray how amused she was at the question but her expression shouted it to them both.

There was a subtle beep from the pod before the pod began the thawing process to wake Lance up. Keith turned his attention to the pod completely, standing so he was ready to catch Lance should he need to. Keith watched as Lance’s eyes fluttered open inside the pod as the color returned to his face. He heard someone get up, most likely Marmora, and leave the room. The whirl of the door shutting coincided with the hiss of the pod as the glass lifted and Lance’s body slumped out. Keith wrapped his arms around Lance and helped him to the examination table. Hunk helped stabilize Lance as he continued waking up from his short slumber.

The door opened again but more than just Marmora and Honerva walked in. Allura, Coran, Shiro, and Pidge also walked in behind the two women. On the other side of the door Keith could hear Krolia, Ulaz, and Matt talking softly. Hunk moved out of the way as Honerva approached and began to check Lance over. Keith stayed where he was so that he could keep Lance sitting up as Honerva moved her fingers and the medical scanner along his body. it seemed to take forever before she finally stepped back and set down the scanner.

“He should be okay but he will need to rest more. The quintessence from the rift drained him of his own quintessence. It will take some time for his body to gain enough for him to be active again.” Keith let out a heavy breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He saw Allura and Shiro do the same. They could stop worrying as much, but knowing how Shiro felt about the team and how Allura felt about Lance, he knew they would worry until Lance was back to normal.

Most everyone followed Honerva out of the med bay until the only ones to remain besides Keith and Lance, were Shiro and Marmora. Shiro still had that concerned look on his face while Marmora’s expression was darker. Keith had a feeling he knew what was going through her mind and it wasn’t Lance’s health. He understood that completely, given everything that she was still coming to terms with.

“I’ll help you get him to your room.” Shiro offered as Keith pulled Lance off the table and to his feet. The Galra nodded and waited for Shiro to put his arm around Lance’s shoulders. Marmora held the door open for them as they slowly shuffled through the room. The med bay wasn’t that far from their room but it took longer than usual to get Lance there. Keith let Marmora open the door for them before he pulled Lance inside. Shiro and Marmora waited outside as Keith stripped Lance of his flight suit and settled him in the bed. Lance was still out of it as Keith pulled the blanket over his body.

“Go back to sleep, Lance. I’ll come check on you later.” He pressed a soft kiss to Lance’s temple before straightening up and leaving the room. Shiro had left but Marmora was still there. Keith led her to the observation deck, where he and Lancel used to meet while they were courting. Keith sat in one of the chairs by a window and Marmora sat across from him.

“Bralae saw me.” Keith knew that was what she was concerned about but that didn’t stop his frown from tugging at his lips. He nodded.

“I know you weren’t ready to see her yet. I’ll make sure she gives you the space you need.” Keith was still coming to terms with what his sister had done to her own soulmate. Losing Lancel had nearly killed Keith and he couldn’t imagine being the cause behind his death. Had his father ordered him to kill Lancel, Keith wouldn’t have been able to obey. From what he understood, Bralae hadn’t even thought twice about attempting to murder Marmora.

“Do you think she hates me now? For not being ready?” Marmora wasn’t looking at him but Keith still shook his head. Bralae had no right to hate Marmora and if she did then Marmora was better off without her. He wouldn’t tell her that; Marmora was still coming to terms with what happened and adjusting to life without her voice. The communicator helped but Keith knew it still took effort for her to use it. The device didn’t comprehend what Marmora wanted to say as easily as her own brain and vocal box did. She didn’t need to worry about potentially never being with her soulmate again.

“No I don’t think she hates you. I think she is unsure what you’re thinking right now and doesn’t want to intrude. She’s had ten thousand decaphoebs to come to terms with what happened. You’ve had a little over a movement. You need to give yourself the time to adjust.” Keith had seen the look of betrayal on his sister’s face when she saw Marmora. He wanted to comfort them both but right now, he had to focus on the woman in front of him. Marmora was in a weaker mindset than Bralae. He knew how his sister would react to everything, in her own self-destructive way she always had, but Marmora was almost a mystery to him. He’d never seen her like this before. Bralae had been the one she latched on to when something was wrong. Just as Keith latched onto Lancel. Marmora didn’t reply at first. Keith felt like he almost sounded like Lancel whenever he’d give Keith advice or comfort him.

“Will you stay with me while we’re on Rygnirath?” Keith nodded. He understood how afraid she could be about visiting her home again. The last memories she had of it were far from pleasant.

“I won’t leave you alone If you decide you can’t handle it, we can leave, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Marmora offered him a soft smile before turning her attention to the window. Constellations she grew up seeing were floating by them as they grew closer and closer to Rygnirath.

Finally, Allura announced over the communication system that they were approaching Rygnirath. Keith walked behind Marmora as they made their way to the bridge. The only person missing was Lance as the two walked in. Keith stayed by the back wall as Allura explained their plan as the planet came into view. Next to him Marmora tensed slightly. Keith nudged her hand with his to get her attention and offered her a soft smile. She smiled back before returning her gaze to Allura and Ulaz. The viewing screen flickered to an image of the planet surface, highlighting the area Keith recognized as where Yover, the capital of Rygnirath, used to stand.

“We weren’t able to narrow our search radius down further than this area of the planet. We will have to split up into groups of three and one group of four so that we can search the entire area.” Allura explained as Keith looked around at everyone there. There weren’t that many people altogether so even in smaller groups the search radius would be large.

“Coran is going to stay here to watch over the Castle and look after Lance. First group will be Marmora, Keith, Ulaz, and Shiro. I’d like you to take the middle.” Allura glanced over at Marmora and Keith who both nodded. The middle of the city was where the royal palace used to sit.

“Next will be Hunk, Honerva and Matt. I would like you to take the western portion. Pidge, Krolia, and myself will cover the eastern part. If you find anything that may be a clue let us know on comms.” Everyone nodded and began getting ready to head down. Keith wasn’t sure if he was ready for this, but he couldn’t hesitate. Marmora needed him to be strong. Without Bralae by her side, she was alone now. Just like Keith had felt when he was in his father’s prisons.

Those who weren’t wearing a flight suit quickly changed into one, while everyone else made their way down to the hangars. There was a Paladin in each of the teams to make it easier for travel but since both Keith and Shiro were on a team they had to decide which Lion to take. Shiro made that decision as he began walking down to Red’s hanger.

Keith was the first to enter the Lion, followed closely by Marmora and Shiro. He took his seat in front of the console with Shiro standing slightly left of him and Marmora directly to his right. Marmora looked down at him, nervousness and anticipation evident on her face before she glanced up at Shiro. Keith also glanced at Shiro but the man wasn’t looking at either of them.

Ulaz was the last to enter the Red Lion, being directed by Shiro over the comms, and once he was in, the hanger door opened. The take off for the Red Lion wasn’t as smooth as it usually was as they descended into the top layer of the toxic air that made Rygnirath such a dangerous planet. The alerts poured in all over Keith’s screen but he ignored them as he guided the Lion further into the atmosphere.

He’d only been to Rygnirath a handful of times, much less than Bralae had been, but those times he had he’d learned how to enter the atmosphere properly. In the back of his mind, he hoped someone had told Hunk and Pidge how dangerous the atmosphere could be. there was no screaming coming over the comms so he assumed they were fine.

Finally, the toxic clouds broke up and gave way to a grave looking surface. No more were the lush greens and reds of the planet that Keith had remembered. The trees looked dead, the grass a yellowish brown, and all of the buildings around them falling apart. Keith didn’t take his eyes off of his surroundings as he saw the Green and Yellow Lions flying out from behind him and breaking away. Good, someone had told them to be careful.

Keith was careful in finding a stable place to land. He relied on Marmora telling him if the ground looked stable or not until they finally found somewhere near the Palace to land. As they left the Lion, Keith felt Marmora latch onto his arm. He couldn’t blame her. Her home was in shambles and the scenery she remembered was gone. Slowly, they walked forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think! I'm getting close to writing the last few chapters. I'm guessing this story will be around 40-45 chapters long but we'll see how well I can keep my focus to write. There's some family and work stuff that is stressing me out right now but I'm still going to try to keep up the schedule for you guys!


	25. Mystery

Ulaz had a quintessence scanner in his hand as they walked. Keith and Marmora were in front, with Shiro behind Ulaz to watch their backs. While they didn’t expect anyone to be there, it was hard to say what would happen. If Kolivan was there then the possibility of someone else being there was higher than Keith felt comfortable with. Any time he visited an abandoned or dead planet he felt uncomfortable but this was different. Terrifying almost. This was a place he’d been to before the war; back when it was bustling with activity. It wasn’t supposed to be empty and quiet like this. It seemed so wrong.

Keith let Marmora guide them. She started heading towards the dilapidated palace. Though the vines and tree roots had grown around and through the rotted wood of the palace walls, Keith could still see the elegance that Yover Yaklevv, the Rygnirathian name for the royal palace, used to have. Both Shiro and Ulaz were silent as Marmora led them inside. The light shined down from the broken ceiling and holes in the walls but the ground was reduced to wood chips and grass. Marmora didn’t let it bother her as she broke away from Keith and approached the tree centered in the middle of Yaklevv. If Keith remembered right, Bevrial Ajji was in the direct center of Yover, and Rygnirath, as a whole.

Marmora placed her hand on the center of the tree and closed her eyes. Ulaz looked over at Keith with a confused expression before he opened his mouth to speak. Keith silenced him with a low hush and a shake of his head. They hadn’t mentioned it before, because neither of them knew what condition the Bevrial Ajji would be in, but if Marmora could connect to the scared tree she could track everyone on the planet. Now that they both knew it was standing, the only question was about if the roots were intact enough to do what Marmora needed.

A gentle hum sounded as Marmora connected herself to the tree. Keith waited for her to tell them if she found anyone before he let his hope grow. The ground beneath their feet vibrated slightly as Marmora’s consciousness traveled through the roots. Keith had only heard stories of how a Rygnirathian transferred the consciousness but this was the first time he was witnessing it. She stood there for at least five dobashes before her eyes opened and she looked at Keith. With a smile she offered him a nod.

“I found him…or who I assume is him. The team on the west are three clicks south of the Kajay and the team on the east are at the edge of the city. There’s another quintessence signal coming from the Arhaive just north of the Eastern team. It will take us a few dobashes to get there even if we take the Lion, but with the Yellow Lion, that team could get there in a matter of ticks.” Keith nodded at the information with a frown. Though they had found Kolivan, at least they assumed it was him, if he was in the Arhaive Voryor, Kolivan was still in danger. He turned to the other two as he began relaying the information over the comms.

“What exactly is this…place?” Shiro asked, looking over at Marmora. She paused and looked over at Keith.

“The Arhaive is a section of trees outside of city limits that is dead. It used to be off limits to the citizens because of how many died there until my grandfather started training his soldiers there.” Shiro frowned at the information and what it suggested. Over the comms he could hear the concern in Allura’s voice as she commanded the rest of them to head that way.

“We will send you coordinates as soon as we get back to the Red Lion, Pidge. Allura do not going in there alone. It’s safer if we all go together.” Although Keith knew that Allura also knew of the legends of the forest, he wanted to make sure that they weren’t tempted to begin the search by themselves.

Keith led them all back to the Red Lion. Though the sacred tree still stood, the rest of Rygnirath looked abandoned. The trees around the city had overtaken the houses and shops that were crumpled on the ground. The worn paths carved from hundreds of decaphoebs had grown back and only existed in memory. The sacred tree was probably the only part of the old Rygnirath that remained. Marmora latched back onto Keith as they walked. He could see her looking around and taking in what her home had become.

“Everything is so wrong.” Keith nearly jumped when he heard the hushed, hoarse croak come from her. It wasn’t the computerized voice the communication device gave her nor was it how he remembered her voice to be. But she could talk. He looked down at her in surprise. She was looking around her with a grim expression rather than him or their friends. Before, she couldn’t speak at all and she even had trouble breathing at times. Something must have happened when she connected with the tree. He couldn’t dwell on it now; they were here to save Kolivan and the longer he was in the Arhaive the more danger he was in.

“This is what war does.” This was what Gyrgan had been trying to shield Marmora from. She had seen death already from a young age, having lost her brother Virin early on in her life, but she hadn’t seen widespread destruction before. Even if Gyrgan had Marmora trained in self-defense and hand-to-hand combat, he had hoped his daughter would never have to live through a war. As they walked, Keith saw the ground littered with myzin. The small bronze coins had been the currency of the city before the fall and it looked like they were dropped as people fled.

The walk to the Red Lion felt like it took longer than the walk to the Yaklevv but when they did arrive at Red, Keith was surprised to see the vines starting to encroach along her paws, through the particle barrier. He had thought the planet was dead, but the way nature grew rapidly around them said otherwise. He didn’t cut the vines away as Red opened her mouth and dropped the ramp.

As Red flared to life again, the vines fell from her paws and allowed her to push herself into the air. Just like he said, Keith sent the coordinates over to Pidge, as given to him by Marmora. The further they went into the city the more Keith realized the planet was in the process of regrowing. Portions of the city were covered in roots, vines, and moss while others looked like they had been destroyed and left only a few quintants before. He had seen things like this in various places before the war started but never like this. It almost looked like the regrowth was centered around the Yaklevv and the Bevrial Ajji.

They reached the edge of the city while Keith was examining the ground below. He could see the Yellow lion with Allura standing next to it as he landed. The ground was softer there but still stable enough to land, much to his relief. Marmora left the Lion, telling the other two to stay inside. The trees looked like they had thinned enough to let the Lions pass without getting caught.

“Why didn’t you guys tell us that she could find Kolivan by touching a tree?” Shiro asked, his voice unaccusatory but still had an undertone of being harsh. Keith turned his chair to look at the two.

“None of us could be sure that the Bevrial Ajji was still standing or if she could even connect to it. All of us agreed that it would be better not to get your hopes up in case the Ajji was gone.” Maybe they should have told the others about the Bevrial Ajji at the beginning, but honestly they hadn’t wanted to get any of their hopes up unnecessarily. 

“And this forest, why is it so dangerous?” Ulaz was as concerned as he was confused. Keith understood that. He’d been terrified when Lance was taken by Lotor. He hadn’t even known what Lance was going through but he definitely hadn’t trusted Lotor to not hurt him. Ulaz hadn’t been able to contact Kolivan in over two phoebs and now Marmora and Keith were telling him that his soulmate was in a dangerous forest. If he hadn’t been worried, Keith would wonder if they really were soulmates. 

“Legend says the Arhaive Voryor was a place where death happened. People would go into the forest to search for someone only to never come out again. Sometimes the bodies of those who disappeared would appear at the edge of the forest just outside of the city border. Other times anyone passing the edge of the forest would smell death. I didn’t believe the stories until it happened while Bralae and I were visiting. A friend of Marmora’s went into the forest to try and recover her brother’s body. Three quintants later, his body showed up just outside of the city border.”

He had thought his father had burned everything on Rygnirath, but the state of the planet and the city of Yover told him otherwise

Marmora returning broke Keith of his thoughts. When he looked through the windows, Allura was also gone and likely had gone into the Yellow Lion. Keith looked up at Marmora.

“The Green Paladin is almost here. As soon as they arrive, we will follow the Yellow Lion into the Arhaive.” Keith nodded at the information and turned back to pilot Red. As soon as Pidge’s group arrived, Hunk took the lead as each Lion entered the forest. behind him, he could almost feel the nervousness radiating off of Ulaz. Keith himself felt anxious but not because they were looking for Kolivan. Rather he was concerned about the dangers the forest posed to them.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the quintessence scanner roared to life in Ulaz’s hands. Keith didn’t take his eyes off the screen in front of him but he listened as Ulaz announced they were getting closer. Keith glanced back at Marmora and she nodded. He believed the scanner but this was Marmora’s home. She knew this place better than anyone else there ever could.

“Go a little further east. The Bevrial Ajji showed him to be near where the path narrows. We will have to continue on foot when we get there.” Keith nodded and relayed the information to Hunk and Pidge as well. The last thing he wanted to do was leave the safety of the Red Lion to walk through the eerie forest, but he couldn’t let his childish fear bother him. Around them the trees were tall, dead, and rotting and yet, somehow, they still remained looming above the lines.

The forest brought back memories Keith didn’t need to remember. The last time he had been in that forest, it had been when he and Bralae were chasing after the Reinzi in an effort to get Virin back from them. He would never forget the look on the child’s face when the head of the Reinzi had sliced the jagged edge of his blade along Virin’s throat. That look of terror as his blood drained from his body and the color of his skin dulled haunted Keith. How his expression remained even after he had died. For decaphoebs after, he couldn’t sleep without seeing that image in his dreams.

He also couldn’t forget Bralae’s reaction. She hadn’t batted an eye at the body as she darted forward and jammed her own sword through the heart of the man. Or how Marmora reacted when she found out her brother had been murdered. The cry of Gyrgan and his wife as Keith informed them of Virin’s death. That was when Keith first learned what war did to the innocents. It had been his family who angered the Reinzi yet it was Marmora and her family who suffered the consequences. Ever since then, Keith had been weary of the forest. It felt darker and heavier anytime he had visited after Virin’s death, as if something dangerous was calling to him.

The Red Lion came to a stop behind Hunk and Pidge. Everyone exited and met in front of the Yellow Lion. Hunk and Romelle offered to stay behind, to make sure that no one tried to take the Lions while everyone else searched for Kolivan. Keith wanted to stay with them, because he didn’t want to go any further into the forest than he already was, but he had promised Marmora he would stay with her. The look of fear on Hunk’s face was nothing new to Keith, since he often objected to whatever plans Allura planned, but this time Keith felt that fear was justified. He didn’t hesitate to follow her with Allura beside him as Marmora and Ulaz led the group down the narrowed path. Shiro and Acxa pulled up the rear as the group walking in lines of two.

The only sounds around them were the crunching of sticks and leaves under their feet as they walked and the wind whistling through the branches. Keith tried not to look as nervous as he felt as he looked around for any signs of Kolivan. A few times Allura nearly bumped into him as did Matt who walked behind him. He doubted anyone felt comfortable in the forest.

Marmora stopped abruptly in front of him, Ulaz just a step ahead of her, and Keith put his arm out to stop Allura from running into Ulaz’s back. Everyone behind him came to a stop as well as Allura let out a surprised gasp. Keith glanced at the path ahead of them between Ulaz and Marmora. Instantly he knew why they had stopped and frowned.

Pieces of a Galra ship were scatter across the path, interlaced with fallen trees and broken branches. Some parts of the ship were rusted over as if it had rained while other parts melted and welded together. Keith shared a grim look with Ulaz. Allura took her own scanner out and began searching for any signs of life. Keith rolled his eyes and walked past Ulaz and Marmora towards the crashed ship. If Kolivan had died then Ulaz would have known already. The only way they were going to find him was if they began searching the area.

Keith wasted no time moving pieces of metal and climbing over fallen trees in search for any signs of Kolivan. Behind him, he could hear someone approaching him – Ulaz he guessed – and Honerva giving orders to the rest of the group to spread out. Together, they searched the wreckage for Kolivan, making sure that every decently large piece of scrap was moved and turned over until the entire site was searched. As Keith stopped to examine a piece of debris he frowned. Without the systems online it would be hard to tell how long the wreck had been there but the way the metal was rusted and weathered combined with the vines told Keith it had been there for a while. More than a phoeb at least.

It had taken them nearly a full varga before Keith heard Allura shout ahead of them. Allura and Marmora were further into the Arhaive than the rest of them were, and Keith guessed that was because Marmora was still connected to the roots of the planet. Their march through the trees was noisy and sloppy. If they had been tracking anyone they would have failed as twigs snaped and leaves crunched under their feet. Thankfully, they didn’t have to worry about being quiet as they approached where Marmora and Allura were standing. Or rather, where Allura was standing and Marmora was kneeling. Her hand hovered over a knot of roots and twigs. Keith watched as the wood broke away just enough to show a face.

Ulaz sucked in air almost in a gasp as he recognized the face. Krolia and Acxa made a soft noise of surprise, so unusual coming from Galra soldiers, and Keith knew this was Kolivan. He stepped forward slightly, prepared to help Marmora and Allura if need be, but stopped as he saw Marmora’s hand glowing a soft yellow.

“What is she doing?” Matt sounded amazed as the roots moved when Marmora hovered her glowing hand over them. Keith didn’t look back but he was sure everyone was looking between him, Allura, and Honerva. Allura was completely focused on Marmora. Keith focused on Kolivan as more of his body was revealed.

“Rygnirathians had the ability to connect with the Bevrial Ajji, a sacred tree centered in the exact center of their civilization that offered them life and protection. With that connection, the person is able to track another person’s quintessence. Some special Rygnirathians had the ability to use that connection to go a step further and use the roots from the Ajji and other trees for their own needs. Marmora is one such person. She is using her ability to move the roots to free Kolivan.”

In the back of his mind, Keith questioned how Kolivan had become cocooned in the Ajji’s roots but he was thankful the man was still alive. Keith had seen how the Bevrial Ajji could protect people based on the wishes of the person connected to it, or people. He supposed it was possible that the Bevrial Ajji had acted on its own but Keith had never heard of that happening before. It was unlikely that from so far away the Ajji could connect with Marmora when she wasn’t even conscious and protect someone she had never even met.

“So why is he in there? Like what made this…Ajji?...wrap its roots around him like that?” Pidge asked as they watched the scene intently. Keith wondered if they were curious for the scientific information or if it was because of their own connection to nature through the Green Lion. Still, he was glad they asked what he was also thinking.

“It is likely the Bevrial holds memories of the last person to connect with it and is acting on those wishes.” Marmora’s artificial voice replied. She hadn’t turned to look at them or stop what she was doing but it was clear she had been listening. “If that person wished to save anyone who was on the planet, the Bevrial would have done so.”

Silence settled over the group as Marmora lowered her hand. The roots were completely removed from Kolivan’s body, revealing the injuries that were still bleeding littered across his body. Honerva brushed past everyone to walk across the gap between them and Kolivan. Marmora stayed by Kolivan’s side as Allura backed up until she was close to Keith. Ulaz followed after Honerva but stayed out of her way while she looked him over. It only took a few ticks before she sighed and stood up.

“We must get him to a healing pod soon. It seems the Ajji kept his wounds from bleeding out and now that they aren’t there to help keep him alive he’ll bleed out again.” Honerva looked up at Ulaz who nodded.

“The Red Lion is the fastest. We can load him into Red and Keith can take him back.” Shiro’s words weren’t necessarily an order but Keith took it as such. Ulaz carefully picked Kolivan up, the man looking fragile and small in his condition, and followed Keith back through the forest. Marmora darted ahead of them to lead them out safely. Everyone else walked slower behind them so by the time the three got to the Red Lion, they had already lost sight of everyone else. Keith frowned as he looked back down the narrow path. If he listened hard enough he could hear their footsteps and that made him relax slightly. Hunk and Romelle were looking at them with curiosity and worry as the small group approached.

“Where’s everyone else?” Hunk asked worriedly as his eyes kept darting over to the path. Marmora paused just in front of the Lions and offered him a soft smile before turning her attention to Ulaz and Keith who were walking up the ramp to enter the Red Lion. 

“You two go ahead and take him to the Castle. I’ll head back to the others to make sure they get out safely.” Marmora didn’t wait for a response before she turned around and walked down the path again. Keith sighed and let Ulaz get passed him.

“We have to get Kolivan to a healing pod. Red’s faster so Ulaz and I are going ahead. Everyone else should be back within a varga but if they don’t call us and we’ll go search for them.” With Marmora there, they shouldn’t get lost but Keith knew how terrifying the Arhaive could be. People often got lost in the forest and died there. Marmora once told them that the few people who had made it out of there alive after getting lost claimed the trees moved and paths disappeared. The reports had slowed down by the time Keith and Bralae had met Marmora, but the deaths still happened occasionally.

“You’ve already been gone for over a varga! You expect us to sit here for another varga?” Romelle’s outburst was filled with fear and Keith couldn’t blame her. However, he knew that he needed to get Ulaz and Kolivan to the Castle before Kolivan’s condition worsened.

“Would you rather abandon your friends in a forest known for people getting lost and dying? They’re with Marmora. So long as she can connect to the Bevrial Ajji, they will be okay.” Keith could see the remorse on Romelle’s face as she took in what he said. She didn’t want to abandon her friends, the very people who had saved her life, but she was scared. Keith was too. He turned and made his way up the rest of the ramp, pulling it up once he was inside. He had to put his faith in Marmora’s ability to navigate the Arhaive . she had been the one to find Kolivan in the first place, so surely she could find the Lions as well.

Ulaz stayed with Kolivan as Keith piloted them back to the Castle. Keith informed Coran of Kolivan’s condition and where the rest of their group was as he left the planet’s atmosphere. Even though he didn’t want to leave by himself, and would have rather waited until everyone else arrived as well before leaving, he was anxious to get back and check on Lance. By now, Lance was probably better but he still wanted to see for himself. Coran hadn’t mentioned his condition over the comms, so he assumed everything was still fine, but that didn’t stop the worry from gnawing at his stomach.

He had pushed that worry down to look for Kolivan, focusing completely on the search and Marmora’s return to her home, but now that Kolivan was in his Lion and they were almost to the Castle Keith couldn’t stop that worry from flooding through him again. He landed in his hanger and helped Ulaz carry Kolivan down the ramp. Coran was already in the med bay with a pod ready for Kolivan.

The halls were eerily silent as Ulaz and Keith walked through them towards the med bay. He supposed that was what happened when everyone left the ship at once. The silence wasn’t necessarily bad; Keith was just used to the hustle of the Castle as everyone followed their own routines. The silence reminded him that his friends were still in the forest on Rygnirath and he had no idea their condition.

Coran helped Ulaz strip Kolivan of his flight suit and placed him in the pod immediately. It was the same one Lance had been in earlier that morning, which only served to remind Keith of the fact that their quintant still wasn’t done. The night cycle would start in a couple vargas and if the group on Rygnirath didn’t make it out before then they were as good as dead. He left the med bay and went straight to the bridge to wait for any communication. Coran joined him almost fifteen dobashes later but neither said anything as they watched their respective screens.

Another fifteen dobashes later, Keith excused himself to check on Lance. The blue Paladin was still sleeping but he looked much better than he had when Keith left him. He smiled and watched his soulmate sleep for a moment, thankful Lance was still with him after what they’d been through already.

The door closed silently as Keith left and made his way to the med bay again. Ulaz was still there, watching over Kolivan much like Keith had done with Lance after he had been taken by Lotor. Ulaz gave no reaction to Keith as he walked in, his focus entirely on the pod where Kolivan was suspended. The console for the pod indicated that it would take at least a quintant before Kolivan was released. He frowned and glanced back at Ulaz who hadn’t moved at all. He’d have to keep an eye on him as well.

By the time Keith had made it back to the bridge, it had been nearly forty-five dobashes. Fifteen more and he would go back down there himself. Coran looked up at him grimly as Keith hovered near the chute that would take him to his Lion.

“Coran, can you hear me?” Keith relaxed some when he heard Allura’s voice over the comms. Coran did as well.

“I hear you Princess. You have Keith and I both here.” Keith moved away from the chute and over to Coran.

“We just made it back to the Lions, we are beginning our return to the Castle. Can you guide us through the clouds?” Keith let out a sigh of relief at that and left the bridge. He could truly relax now that his friends were on their way back. As he left he heard Coran explaining how to get off the planet to the two Paladins.

Lance was still asleep when Keith entered the second time. He discarded his armor and flight suit, changing into softer clothes, before crawling into bed next to Lance. The Blue Paladin stirred but remained asleep as he shifted closer to Keith and curled into him. Keith smiled as he wrapped his arm around Lance’s shoulders. He wouldn't be able to sleep until everyone else was back but he could at least relax while watching over Lance in the meantime.

Marmora had worried when she couldn’t immediately find Allura and the Humans. Somehow the group had gotten separated, and even though Honerva, Krolia, and Acxa were still on the path Marmora worried. She sent them ahead to meet up with Hunk and Romelle to make sure more people didn’t get lost before she kneeled down to connect with the forest. She could feel the vines of the Bevrial

She followed the roots as they twisted around trees, overgrown roots, and boulders the size of the palace. The further into the Arhaive she went, the more nervous she grew. She wasn’t afraid of the forest the same way many of her people had been, but she could practically feel the looming presence of death there. No longer could she see the path they had been following and there still were no signs of Allura or the Humans. A wave of nausea rolled over her as she stopped at a small clearing.

In the middle was a bundle of roots similar to the one Kolivan was in. she frowned. Had someone else crashed in the forest and been saved the same way? There was no wreckage around her and no one reported seeing it during their search. Her goal forgotten, she stepped closer. Immediately, that nausea and heaviness dissipated. The darkness of the forest was gone and she could see the sun shining above her. Even the trees around her had life. It was like she was in a completely different forest. If not for the bundle of roots in front of her, she would believe she was somewhere else. In fact, it was more than just that one. She could see more littering the ground around the trees surrounding the clearing.

Surprisingly, Allura and the Humans were there as well. Marmora’s eyes were wide as she looked at them. They looked just as confused as she did.

“What is going on here?” Allura asked, turning to Marmora in surprise. Marmora wish she had an answer. She had never seen anything like this. Slowly she approached the bundle in the center and crouched next to it.

“I wish I knew. Nothing like this has ever happened as far as I am aware.” She placed her hand cautiously on the bundle and gasped. Just like with Kolivan, she felt a heartbeat. A familiar quintessence was seeped in the roots, unlike that of the Bevrial. She could never forget that quintessence and didn’t hesitate to begin unraveling the roots. No one said a word as the roots pulled away and slid back into the ground. Tears pricked at Marmora’s eyes as the face was revealed.

Virin’s throat was scarred where it had been slit, the jagged wound looking anything but neat, and his face was still stained with his blood. Marmora wanted to cry. All this time, she had thought her brother to be dead only for him to be cocooned in the forest. she had woken up after ten thousand decaphoebs with memories of her soulmate trying to kill herself to find out her family and people were all dead. All she had left were Keith, Allura, and Bralae. It had taken her a full movement to come to terms with her loss and now it felt like her heart was being ripped apart again.

If Virin was alive and the Bevrial had saved him like it had with Kolivan, Marmora would have to break the news of their people’s deaths to him. She wasn’t sure if she could handle that, saying it out loud. It was one thing to know it, but it was another to admit it. Especially to someone close to her who would also feel the pain of the loss.

Marmora looked up at Allura as more of the roots slid back into the ground. Her tears were falling and there was nothing she could do to stop them. Rivin hadn’t aged at all it seemed. He was basically the same child as when he had been taken by the Reinzi. How was Marmora supposed to explain the war and the deaths that followed to a child? Shiro was the one who kneeled next to Marmora and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“We should get him to the Castle.” Marmora nodded and wiped her tears. Shiro gently pulled Virin out of the bundle of roots. The ground pulsed under her feet as the Bevrial guided them out of the forest. Each of them held onto the other, with Marmora’s hand clasped around Shiro’s arm and her other holding her brother’s hand, as the ground pulsed again and the scenery changed back to the darkness and death heaviness of the Arhaive Marmora was used to. The path they had strayed from was back directly in front of them. Marmora wouldn’t question it at the moment. She knew there was a magic to the Arhaive, just as there was with every other forest on Rygnirath, but no one had ever reported this before.

They were the last five to arrive at the Lions. Hunk was still standing outside the Yellow Lion, waiting for them to arrive before he left. Marmora couldn’t be sure how long they had been gone but she could see the worry from the man who took over her father’s Lion. Pidge opened the Green Lion for them and she followed Shiro up the ramp. Allura said something to Hunk in a hushed whisper just as Marmora entered the Lion. Pidge and Matt were right behind her, leaving Allura and Hunk outside alone.

She had been afraid to visit her home but at the same time she’d been excited. Home gave her peace and comfort. Now that she was there, had seen what the Arhaive held and the ruins that her home had become, she just wanted to get out. She wanted to curl up alone under her blankets and forget this had happened. She couldn’t do that. She had to tend to her brother and check in on Kolivan and Ulaz. There were so many questions she had with no answers. Her curiosity would eventually win out and she would try to research anything she could about the Arhaive and Rygnirath in general. Which meant, eventually she would end up back in those ruins.

Marmora slid to the floor next the cot Virin laid in. Shiro and Matt sat on either side of her but she could barely concentrate on what was going on around her. The ramp was pulled up after Allura entered and the Lion roared to life around her. Over the comms she could hear Pidge and Allura talking to Coran as he guided them out of the atmosphere. She hadn’t even thought about how toxic the clouds of Rygnirath could be when they sent Keith away first. He’d been the only one to truly know how to pilot around them after many sessions with her father to teach him. Bralae knew too. That was probably how Kolivan crashed. If he came to Rygnirath for whatever reason, he could have easily been caught up in the clouds and lost control of his ship.

Landing in the Castle jolted Marmora out of her thoughts. Shiro was already standing and picking Virin up. Matt held out a hand to her as she tried to grasp her focus. She took it gratefully and let him pull her up. He didn’t let her go as the two followed Shiro out of the Lion and to the med bay. Someone must have warned Coran because there was another pod ready for her brother. No, it wasn’t Coran. Hunk had landed before them and was waiting by the console to turn the pod on. She tried to smile at him but wasn’t sure if her face cooperated.

Ulaz was in a chair next to Kolivan’s pod and it looked like he was ready to fall asleep. She couldn’t blame him. That search had been exhausting, and it had only been a few vargas long. Maybe it was because of how much she had used her connection to the Bevrial but Marmora was bone tired.

Hunk turned on the pod and she heard the beeps of the machine as it analyzed Virin. Part of her was worried and wanted to know what shape her brother was in but she feared the answer. Instead, she let Allura pull her out of the room. Allura didn’t stop until they were at her room – Allura’s not Marmora’s – and Allura dragged her inside.

“You need to calm down. You’ve worked yourself up and exhausted yourself with that search. Take a bath, I’ll grab you clean clothes, and Hunk will make you something to eat. Then we’re going to watch one those movie things Pidge keeps talking about, okay?” Marmora didn’t even get to answer as Allura pulled her into the bathroom and began filling the tub with warm water. Marmora felt the grime and sweat from her search cling to her skin. A bath wouldn’t be so bad.

Allura left her alone once the tub was filled. Marmora pulled her gown off and slipped into the water. Instantly the tension she’d been holding onto had melted away. It was a long day between seeing Bralae on Daibazaal, finding her home to be nothing more than ruins, tracking Kolivan in a forest believed to cause death, and finding her brother in the same forest decaphoebs after she thought he died. Marmora didn’t even want to eat or attempt relaxation with Allura but she knew the woman wouldn’t let her get out of it.

Marmora scrubbed her skin clean, until it was raw, and drained the water. She watched the dirt and grime swirl down the drain with the water. Though she felt cleaner, her mind still whirled with worries and fears. What if her brother didn’t make it? What if Kolivan didn’t? What if they did? Would they have to go back into the Arhaive? She wasn’t sure she could handle that again.

A knock on the door broke Marmora out of her thoughts and she stood from the tub. She wrapped a towel around her body and opened the bathroom door. Another knock sounded, alerting Marmora to the closed door to Allura’s bed chamber. When she opened it, Allura was not the one on the other side. Instead, Shiro and Matt stood across from her with the latter holding a clean gown out to her. She took it gratefully and closed the door so she could get dressed. Once she was finished, she gathered her dirty gown and left the room. Shiro and Matt followed her down to her room where she deposited it in her laundry hamper.

The two pulled her to the lounge where Pidge had set up the screen to play whatever this movie thing was. almost everyone was already gathered around the couches and food and snacks were spread across the table. Keith and Lance were absent, as was Ulaz, but Marmora wouldn’t expected them to be there after everything that had happened. She smiled softly as Shiro and Matt pulled her to a seat on an empty couch and sat on either side of her. Hunk and Romelle were on the floor in front of them and passed food up to them. Marmora supposed this wasn’t a bad way to get her mind off of the events of the day.


	26. Research

Haggar observed the way Bralae set her brother down in front of her, roughly with no care to his pain. She’d gotten an urgent transmission asking from the commander insisting on bringing Lotor to her for medical care. Bralae hadn’t given many details other than she found her brother unconscious and missing his hand on Daibazaal, and that itself seemed suspicious to the witch. There was no reason for either of them to be near the dead planet, let alone actually on the surface. _Especially_ at the same time. Bralae had made her feelings about her younger brother clear to anyone in the Empire who listened.

The witch didn’t let her suspicions show as she sent the woman out of the chamber. Once the door closed, she set about stopping the blood flow and outfitting Lotor with a prosthetic. She’d need time to make one specifically for him but until she was able to, he would have to deal with the one she already had available. In the meantime she would send her druids out to spy on Bralae and see what the woman was up to. So long as she was alive, no one would succeed in an attempt to kill Zarkon and take his power. That included his own children. The witch trusted all three less than she trusted the people fighting against them.

Bralae left Haggar’s chamber and made her way down to the prisons. She counted the cells as she passed them, all empty until she got to the very end of the lower level. Ophail had been the leader of a resistance group on Voclite. Taxxu had been a difficult system to conquer, and Bralae had been the one to oversee most of the battles. It hadn’t been her decision to take Ophail into custody but if she hadn’t she knew it would make her father suspicious of her intentions. She had worked hard to get his trust in the decaphoebs after Altea’s fall.

Stopping outside of the cell she glanced over at the guards on either side of the hallway. Neither were looking at her directly but they wouldn’t be useful if they were unaware of her presence. She knew they were very aware of her every movement. This was the result of the Blue Paladin breaking her brother out of his cell. She opened the slot over the small window on the door and peered in. Ophail didn’t look up from her position in the middle of the floor. To Bralae it looked like she was meditating but she wasn’t sure how easy that would be given where she was. Closing the window, she backed away.

If Ophail were to escape her prison and make contact with the Paladins, their resistance could easily grow. Ophail had a way with words that made her dangerous to the Galra Empire. It had taken nearly five decaphoebs to crush the rebellion she had started on Voclite. The succession of stopping the rebellion had been the first time her father had acknowledged Bralae’s abilities since the beginning of the war. It was a proud moment for her. Bralae turned to continue down the hall.

The hallway wrapped around to a lift that only went to the upper floor of the prisons where two more guards stood watch. She had to go down that hallway to get to the lift that would take her back to the main part of the ship. Though he had been on Sendak’s ship for ten decaphoebs and was taken from that ship she still knew exactly which cell had been her brothers as she walked past it. The guards on both ends were watching her closely as she passed it without even a glance. The rest of the cells on that level were empty but Bralae guessed their father didn’t want to risk another breakout so he placed guards there. Bralae said nothing as she passed the last guard and entered the lift. She still needed to speak to her father before she left, to let him know about the rift on Daibazaal.

The man said nothing as Bralae entered his throne chamber. Few were allowed inside and even fewer were allowed in without permission. She and Haggar were the only ones, in fact. Even Lotor needed permission to enter his chamber – though Lotor needed permission to board their father’s ship in most cases. Bralae stopped in the center of the floor and looked up at her father. He still said nothing but she knew he was listening and waiting for her report. This was how all of their conversations started, and typically went. Zarkon only spoke to her when he felt it necessary.

“The Paladins have closed the rift on Daibazaal. I believe Lotor tried to stop them by himself but he was overpowered. When I arrived he was unconscious and missing his hand. His ship was still there but no one else.” She knew that the memory spell she cast on her brother would keep him from countering her statements, as he wouldn’t remember anything about his trip to Daibazaal, so she could tell her father any story and he would have no one to verify it except for her.

“Any leads on where the Paladins are now?” Bralae shook her head. Any time she had a lead on the Paladins she sent the coordinates to her father’s ship but knew they wouldn’t be there long enough for him to find them. If she felt they were close enough to be caught, she waited as long as she could before informing him. This time, she could easily avoid giving him coordinates.

“Not at the moment. I’m still looking and as soon as I have a solid lead I’ll inform you immediately.” She hoped he wouldn’t expect them to stay in the system; there was no living planet there and hiding on a dead planet did not seem like something Allura would do. Then again, Bralae knew almost nothing about the way Allura thought in terms of war. She assumed they were listening to Keith rather than Allura but there was no saying for sure. If they were smart, they would listen to Keith instead.

“I am going to run a scan on Daibazaal and the surrounding systems when I return to my ship, just to be certain.” Zarkon said nothing in response so Bralae began to leave. His booming voice stopped her just before she was at the door.

“Do it here. Use my scanners to make sure they are out of that wretched system.” Bralae frowned but didn’t argue. She would just have to get creative.

The antechamber just outside of the throne was empty and had no cameras watching her as she pulled out the communication device the Blades used to communicate with each other. She sent a message to Krolia insisting they cloak their presence and continued out of the room. Hopefully, Krolia would get it in time before the Castle’s signature was picked up on her father’s scanners. Bralae stepped onto the bridge and walked to the nearest console. The soldier in front of it looked back at her with masked shock.

“Lord Zarkon wants a scan of the Ruiu system and all systems surrounding it.” If Bralae had someone else do the scan, then if they found nothing it wouldn’t look like she was hiding anything. All she needed was for Krolia to have gotten her message and put up the cloaking system in time. The longer the scan took, the more anxious Bralae felt. She didn’t let it show on her expression but her nerves were eating away at her.

Finally, the scan moved outside of the system, to one of the neighboring ones and Bralae almost let out a sigh of relief. She couldn’t be sure if Allura had moved the castle to a different system to avoid detection or if they had left completely but she wanted to be certain before she relaxed. Dobashes ticked by and as more systems cleared, Bralae felt that tension unwind. When the soldier turned to her and gave the all-clear, she curtly nodded and left the bridge. It wasn’t until she was alone in her father’s antechamber once more that she let out a sigh of relief and composed herself. Her father would see her nerves even if she tried to mask them unless she kept her expression neutral. It had taken her a long time to be unreadable by her father.

Her father expected her as she walked in for the second time in less than fifteen dobashes. She told him the results, announced she was returning to her ship, and left without another word. The walk down to the hangar was quiet even with all of the activity around her. No one paid her any mind as she walked through the hangar to her ship. She would perform her own scan of Ruiu when she got back, just to verify that the Paladins had actually left.

Almost everyone was asleep when Krolia received the message from Bralae on her communicator. She looked around and noticed Pidge was still awake. Krolia had never been so thankful for how late the Green Paladin stayed awake before. Quietly, and carefully as she stepped over bodies, she grabbed Pidge by the hand and pulled them into the hallway. Pidge let out a small noise of surprise but followed Krolia out.

“Listen, I need you to cloak the Castle for as long as you can. Zarkon has ordered a scan of the galaxy and if he finds us we’ll be in trouble.” Pidge didn’t even let Krolia finish as they sprinted towards the bridge. Krolia followed after the youngest Paladin and watched as they did exactly what was needed. They turned to Krolia with a slight nod.

“It’ll only last for an hour…uh just under a varga, but hopefully they’ll be finished by then.” Krolia relaxed at that and nodded. Hopefully, Zarkon would stop at one scan and leave them be until they could move locations. Pidge left the chamber, saying something about wanting to tell Allura and Coran just in case, and Krolia moved further into the chamber to sit in one of the chairs. She watched the viewing screen for any indication that Zarkon had found them and was on his way to them. They had to be ready, in case Zarkon did find them.

Krolia assumed Bralae would alert her if that happened but assuming she was on her father’s ship, that would be hard to do. Krolia remembered having to search for the few spots around the ship where no one would notice her sending messages and she wouldn’t be caught on the cameras. Pidge returned with Allura and Coran a few dobashes later. Coran and Allura stopped just behind Krolia while Pidge moved to their own console.

“Has anyone made contact with us yet? Do I need to open a wormhole?” Allura asked in a hushed voice, as if she was afraid of waking the rest of the Castle up. Krolia shook her head but didn’t take her eyes off the screen.

“Not yet but Pidge said the cloak will be up for almost a varga. If by then we still don’t have contact I’ll assume we are safe but it’s your choice on if you want to move.” Krolia finally looked back at Allura only to see her frown in worry. Krolia also felt that worry. She had heard about what they had seen in the forest when her group was separated from Krolia and Honerva. There was no doubt in her mind that she would eventually want to go back down there and see if any of the other root cocoons had people inside them. At this point, they had to wait and see if Virin and Kolivan survived first. Marmora was in no shape to return so soon. Krolia had seen how pale her face had become and the way her body shook as she clung to Shiro’s arm as they returned to the Lions. She noticed it as Matt and Shiro squashed her between them and tried to entertain her throughout the night. Both had lost someone they cared about due to this war, not unlike many who now called the Castle of Lions their home, but they had seen her pain up close. Or at least Shiro had. Matt was probably just sympathetic to her feelings.

“It may be helpful to bring the Castle down to Rygnirath and stay there while we plan our next steps, Princess.” Coran pitched in; his voice just as quiet as Allura’s had been. Allura hummed in agreement and moved to the center console where she could guide the Castle down.

“Pidge can we pull up the shields?” Coran asked as he also moved to his console. Krolia made no move but glanced over at the Green Paladin.

“The shields are already up as part of the cloaking program. If we’re going to land now would be the time to do so before the program ends. Once it does we won’t be able to bring the shield back up for at least another….half varga.” Krolia was impressed with how easily Pidge did the conversion from their time measurement to the one the Empire used. It was more universal than Earth time, so it was easier for most of them to follow but the Humans were learning it with nothing to really compare it to.

“Prepare to descend.” Krolia felt the Castle shake slightly as Allura began to pilot it into Rygnirath’s surface. Coran told her when to dodge, though the shield helped keep most of the toxic gases from the clouds away from the Castle.

“What’re we doing?” Keith’s voice was loud as he walked onto the bridge. Krolia turned to look at him, his face twisted with sleep, and stood up. Allura and Coran didn’t turn to look at him as they continued the descent.

“We’re going to land on Rygnirath for the night in case Zarkon comes looking for us. Krolia got a message from Bralae saying Zarkon was scanning the galaxy. Right now we’ve got the cloaking program from the training simulator on the whole Castle but it’ll go down in about half a varga.” Pidge explained as they continued to monitor the program. Keith nodded and walked to his seat.

“How is Lance doing?” Krolia asked softly as she walked over to Keith. After spending so much time in the Castle with the Paladins, she practically felt like they were all her children. Keith especially, and because of that she was invested in seeing him happy. He wasn’t happy when Lance was injured – or any of his friends for that matter – which meant he wasn’t happy.

“He’s sleeping but he looks better. I’m sure he’ll be back to normal tomorrow. Any idea how Kolivan is doing?” Krolia glanced over at him, a soft smile tugging at her lips as she realized just how invested Keith had been in Kolivan’s rescue and recovery.

“He’s still in the pod and last I checked on him Ulaz was still there.” Pidge answered bringing a nod from Keith. The shortest Paladin looked over at Keith with a small, concerned frown. “When Marmora wakes up you need to talk to her. We found something else in that forest that has her completely shook.”

Keith frowned but didn’t ask for clarification. He was still getting used to some of the phrases the Humans used, Pidge especially, but he assumed he knew what that meant. Instead he nodded and turned his attention back to his screen. Krolia did the same and it was silent for the remaining half varga as they landed and waited for any communication. When the shields went down and the cloaking program ended, Krolia let out a soft sigh. She still hadn’t gotten word from Bralae so she could only assume they were in the clear.

“You all should go get some sleep. I’ll keep a look out for any incoming messages or pings on the radar.” Krolia could see that each of them were tired after such a long day. At least she could stay up for the rest of the night while they rested. If she got too tired, she’d wake someone up to take her place. Coran went to reply, likely to argue about Krolia also needing sleep, when Allura grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the chamber. Pidge followed suit as Keith stood up.

“If you need any relief come wake me up.” Krolia nodded at the request even if she knew she had no plans to do so, and watched as he left after the other three. With a sigh she settled into the chair and focused on the screens in front of her. The communication device was propped on the console as if she expected any of the Blades members to ask her about Kolivan’s condition. She hadn’t even told them about how they found him, yet, and she doubted Ulaz had either.

Ulaz woke up in the middle of the night cycle with a pain in his lower back and a hunger in his belly. The chamber was dim, the glow from the pod and the light tracks on the base of the walls being the only light he had to see, as he stood up from the chair. The screen for the pod was brighter as it sparked to life with his touch. There was no indication on if Kolivan would pull through yet. The pod had already begun restitching his wounds together after it had stopped the bleeding but his vitals were still low. If not for the roots that wrapped around him, Kolivan would probably be dead by now. At least Ulaz could be thankful for that.

He let the backlight on the screen fade to dark again as he shifted away and checked on the other person. He didn’t recognize the boy but if he had to guess he would assume it was someone related to Marmora. He knew it was likely a Rygnirathian based on the body features and the skin tone. That meant nothing, of course, as many Galra looked different than each other. The boy’s vitals were more confusing than anything Ulaz had seen in his lifetime. They were so low that it made no sense for him to even be alive still, yet there were no injuries on the report. Ulaz frowned as he backed away from the pod.

“Marmora, Allura, and the Humans found him on their way back to the Lions. This is Virin, the former Prince of Rygnirath and Marmora’s younger brother.” Coran’s voice nearly made Ulaz jump at how suddenly it sounded and how quiet Coran was when he entered the room. He hadn’t even heard the door open upon his entry. He turned to look at Coran.

Coran wasn’t looking at Ulaz but instead was looking up at Virin in the pod. He turned and looked up at the boy again with a frown. It was hard to tell if the boy was getting better or if the pod was even working with the frost on the glass covering his features, and Ulaz hadn’t noticed his condition when the Paladins brought him in.

“You should get some rest. Kolivan won’t be released until tomorrow evening and Allura had landed the ship on Rygnirath so that we can hide from Zarkon if he comes looking. Krolia is keeping an eye on the comms and radar while the rest of us sleep.” Coran gently guided Ulaz out of the med bay and down the hall to the chamber he’d been borrowing for the time being. As soon as he was in and the door shut behind him, Ulaz stripped off his suit and crawled into bed. He’d been more exhausted than he thought. He was asleep before he could even think to lock the door.

Marmora woke up squished between Matt and Shiro on the couch. There was a blanket over them but she didn’t remember putting it on, or even where it came from. Almost everyone who had watched the movies – because they could never watch just one according to Pidge – were still spread around the room, some with blankets on some with them pooled to the side, but she noticed four were missing. Coran and Allura were both gone, though with how early it was she was only mildly surprised, and Pidge must have gone to their room after turning off the last movie. However, the fact that Krolia was also missing surprised her. Krolia had been quiet for most of the night but was also adamant that everyone stayed for the entire movie when Honerva tried to leave.

Shiro shifted and as he did so he threw his arm around both her and Matt, trapping her in her spot. Matt’s head was resting against her shoulder and he had her arm trapped in his. Until either of them got up, Marmora was trapped on the couch. In a way, it was nice to feel so comforted. She hadn’t felt this safe since before the war, the last time she and Bralae were alone and held each other in the privacy of Marmora’s room.

Glancing to her left, around Shiro as best she could, to see Hunk awake. His eyes were wide as she saw the way Shiro and Matt had wedged her between them. He almost wanted to laugh at the sight but he held it in.

“What-” Marmora cut Hunk off with a finger to her lips and a low hushing noise. The three human males were the only other ones in the room besides her and the two on either side of her were still sleeping. Marmora still would have to wait for one of the men on either side of her to wake up before she could move but she wasn’t sure if she wanted even more people to see her trapped like this.

The hiss of the door opening caught both Marmora and Hunk’s attention and both looked over to see who was entering. Allura walked into the room and paused at the scene in front of her. Her lips tilted into a soft smile as she gazed over the four of them. It was almost the look Marmora’s mother used to give her and Virin when they did something she thought was funny. That look of a parent adoring their children. That was probably how Allura felt about the Paladins.

Allura had trouble sleeping. She had tossed and turned all night, fear of Zarkon finding them keeping her subconscious from taking over her consciousness. When she finally gave up, the night cycle was ending. She ran through her morning routine quickly before rushing out of her room to check on Krolia on the bridge. Except, Krolia wasn’t there and instead Coran was working at one of the consoles. Coran didn’t look upset or concerned as he looked down at the screen and his expression seemed as calm as usual, so Allura assumed everything was fine. Instead of interrupting him, she backed out of the doorway and turned to go to the lounge.

Her intent was to make sure the remaining Paladins were awake in case they had to leave quickly, but when she walked in she paused. Marmora was trapped under Shiro’s arm and Matt was practically sprawled out on her. Hunk was sitting up on the other side of the chamber watching them. She was happy, and incredibly thankful, that Shiro and Matt had taken such a liking to Marmora after everything she’d been through the quintant before. And everything before then as well. Marmora hadn’t had an easy life since she had lost Virin…but now she had her brother back and there was no telling how either sibling would react.

“We landed on Rygnirath last night.” Allura paused to watch Marmora’s reaction. Marmora said nothing but Allura could see the way her smile fell at the mention of her home. Allura wished she had thought to take them out of the system completely and hide somewhere else. “We can leave as soon as everyone is awake.”

Marmora wasn’t sure how to feel. She never wanted to go into the Arhaive again but she knew if they remained on Rygnirath for much longer, she would feel that draw to the Arhaive again. It had been hard to tell in the moment if the draw she felt to the Arhaive had been because the Bevrial Ajji had sent her there or if it was because of the forest itself. That had been the forest her brother had died in – no, Virin hadn’t died in there. He had been injured and believed to be dead but hadn’t died. Because of the forest’s terrifying aura and the history it had, no one had gone to investigate or even bring the body back. Keith and Bralae had tried but had gotten lost in the effort.

“There were more cocoons in the Arhaive.” Marmora looked up at Allura, surprised that her voice had worked. It had in the Arhaive as well but at the time she summed it up to the connection she had with the Bevrial. She’d thought the Bevrial had heard her wish to be able to speak again and granted her the ability, but she wasn’t maintaining that connection. It wouldn’t make sense for her to be able to speak with her own voice without the magic of the Ajji.

“There are but we can always come back.” The chances of anyone else finding that…whatever it was in the Arhaive was slim to none without a connection to the Ajji. There only person who could connect with the tree was currently trapped under a behemoth of a man. The thought almost made Allura giggle in amusement. Saying that out loud would likely irritate Marmora.

Keith had said that when she was in her prime, before the war had begun, Marmora had been just as incredible a leader as her father had been, and as gifted with her magic and connection with the Ajji as Lady Gilla had once been. Her parents had passed on their best qualities and skills to her while still keeping her humble and gentle. Allura had never seen her lift a finger in anger towards anyone, even when the war broke out. She, as many of her people, only wanted to preserve the beauty of life. To the point where she willingly sacrificed herself for her people’s lives. Allura couldn’t blame her for that.

“Why don’t we check on your brother and Kolivan and we can decide from there what we do next.” Hunk interjected, looking between Marmora and Allura with a gentle expression. Allura nodded alongside Marmora. Marmora’s attention was drawn to Shiro as the man stirred next to her. She held her breath as he pulled his arm back and slowly slid her way out from between them. Matt’s head fell into the space Marmora had just left, landing on the cushion with a soft thump.

Both Shiro and Matt woke up to Allura and Hunk laughing and Marmora looking down at them with an expression that told Shiro, she’d be laughing too if she could. He frowned in confusion as he and Matt both sat up straight.

“I’ll escort you to visit your brother, Marmora.” Allura’s voice did not indicate how amused she was as she reached out to grab Marmora’s hand. The smaller woman took it gratefully and allowed Allura to lead her out of the room. Shiro sent a questioning look to Hunk who merely stood up and followed the two out while still laughing.

The instant Marmora set foot in the med bay the lighthearted nature of the morning shifted into something heavier, darker almost, as she gazed up at the two in the med pods. It was almost as if the atmosphere mirrored how Marmora felt about finding her brother. She was happy, excited even to be able to see him again after so long of thinking he was dead, but the confusion she felt about how he was there as well as the fear of what it could mean over all overtook her elation.

Coran turned to Marmora and Allura as they entered the med bay and though the smile he offered seemed happy enough, Marmora felt it held a grim outcome behind it. all her life she’d been told that the Arhaive was a place where people died. She herself had only ever stepped foot in that forest twice – once when she was much younger and didn’t understand what her parents were trying to protect her from, and the day before when she guided the Paladins and their friends through it to someone they had been looking for. Honestly, she hadn’t spent much time trying to figure out what was going on or who everyone in the group was and for that she regrated, but she knew the man had been important to more than just Ulaz. Keith and Coran had also been worried about the man. Though Allura didn’t show it, Marmora had a feeling she also was worried about him. Now more so than before.

“Ah, Princess Marmora! Come to check on your brother?” Coran’s voice was just as cheerful as his smile but Marmora still had the feeling that there was something he wasn’t telling her. She nodded and stopped just shy of where Coran was standing. She was directly in front of her brother now. He didn’t look any better than he had when they put him in the pod the night before. His skin was still pale and the scars were still prevalent. She frowned and looked away; she had no idea if he would live or not and not knowing churned her anxiety.

“How is he? Any idea what happened?” Allura was the one who asked, which Marmora was thankful for. Even with the artificial voice she couldn’t convince herself to speak. It was as if the anxiety and fear froze her ability to even think properly. Coran cleared his throat and gazed down at the tablet in his hand.

“The scans haven’t picked up any signs of injury and but his vitals are low. The readings of his health indicate he’s been like this for a very long time, not unlike Princess Marmora herself when Keith found her. If I had to guess, I’d say the Bevrial Ajji saved his life. Of course, we won’t know for certain until he wakes up.” If he woke up. Coran didn’t need to say those words for Marmora to know she could very well lose her brother again. Marmora frowned in confusion and sunk to the chair behind her. Allura must have put it there just in case she had such a reaction. She swallowed thickly and looked up at Coran.

“What about Kolivan?” The artificial voice did not portray how Marmora felt at that revelation. She was shaky and her anxiety wrapped around her like an invisible blanket. This was more than she could handle yet she couldn’t bring herself to leave. The more she was with her brother the worse she felt but at the same time, if she spent the entire time he was in the pod somewhere else she’d feel like a terrible sister. Virin was the most important person to her, even more than her parents or Bralae could ever be. They had been born only dobashes apart and until he had been taken by the Reinzi, they had done everything together. Then she was alone for six long decaphoebs. Her only wish as she had laid dying on the floor of her home was that she could see Virin again, either in the afterlife or in their next life. She wouldn’t be picky. She just wanted her brother back. And now she had him. Almost.

“He’s in much better shape. His wounds were still bleeding when Ulaz and Keith brought him in but they’re mostly healed now. Judging by the speed of his recovery so far, he should be out of the pod by tonight.” Coran’s tone was much lighter as he spoke. That only made Marmora’s anxiety spike. She felt her throat constrict as breathing became difficult. Her vision was blurred to the point her head was beginning to pound as she tried to focus.

“I’ve already sent Pidge and Honerva to begin research into the Bevrial Ajji to see if anything like this has ever happened before. I’m having Hunk scan the planet to see if she can pick up any other quintessence signatures now that we’ve landed. Once that scan is done I’ll send him to help Pidge.” Coran’s voice sounded so distant, as if he were whispering to her from the other side of the room. She barely understood what he said but she had recognized the Bevrial Ajji.

Allura noticed how quickly Marmora’s body language turned. There were few times she’d seen anyone go through an attack like this and as a result she had no idea how to help. She had to help in any way she could but as she reached to grip Marmora’s hand to get her attention she felt Shiro’s hand wrap around her wrist. He and Matt had come in while Coran was explaining his plan on figuring the mystery that was Rygnirath out. Allura looked up at him in shock only to see him shake his head at her.

“She’s having a panic attack. If you touch her, chances are she will freak out and try to protect herself. We need to ground her back to reality before we try to touch or talk to her.” Allura nodded and stepped back to allow Shiro and Matt to take her place. She watched as they both kneeled in front of her and began speaking gently to Marmora. It took a while, much longer than Allura was comfortable with before they were able to get her breathing under control. Finally when her body had stopped shaking and she was answering Shiro’s questions, he asked if they could help her stand up. Allura watched amazed as Shiro gently placed his hand on Marmora’s arm just as he had the day before, and Matt did the same with her other side. Together they helped her stand up and walked her out of the room. Allura looked over at Coran with a concerned expression and the man just shook his head at her. She sighed and followed the three out of the room.

By the time they made it to the dining hall, which was the quietest area of the castle that hadn’t been too far, Marmora had calmed down significantly. Allura was thankful for that but she still didn’t know what had caused her to react that way in the first place. She didn’t want to ask in case the question sent her into another panic attack, as Shiro called it.

“Are you okay?” Shiro’s voice was gentle, in a way Allura had only seen when Lance had gotten hurt during their feast on Arus, as he spoke to her. The concern in his voice was what really convinced Allura that Shiro knew better than she did on how to help people in situations like this. Marmora nodded as Matt began gently rubbing her back. She kept up the controlled breathing as well until her tears stopped. Allura hadn’t even noticed she had started crying until then. How terrible of a friend was she?

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” Shiro asked again, keeping his same tone. Marmora shook her head but Shiro didn’t react the way Allura expected him to. She completely expected him to treat her like he did Pidge whenever the Green Paladin did something Shiro didn’t approve of with that heavy sigh that gave away his irritation. But he wasn’t irritated. He simply placed his hand over hers and offered her a soft smile.

“Whenever you are ready, Matt and I will be here to listen. Same with Hunk and Lance, okay?” Marmora nodded again.

“Don’t go to Pidge though. They’re terrible at listening.” Matt stated as he pulled his hand away and stood up. Marmora’s body shook as if she were laughing but no sound came out. Allura relaxed some.

“I’d like to go to the Yaklevv. There may be some information there.” The computerized voice was louder than Allura felt it needed to be as Marmora looked over at her considering the panic she had just gone through. She nodded her head at the request, regardless of her hesitation. She wasn’t going alone, however.

“I’ll see if Keith is awake to go with you.” Keith had been the one Marmora had been attached to since waking up, so Allura assumed she would feel safest going with him. Marmora shook her head, however.

“Let him stay with his soulmate. I can go alone.” At that Shiro shook his head, as did Matt next to her.

“Nonsense, Matt and I can go with you. It may go faster if there are more of us searching.” Shiro didn’t need to mention the fact that he couldn’t read the language and doubted Matt could either, but the excuse seemed to work as Marmora agreed. It could also be the fact that she didn’t really want to go alone even if she said she had.

“I’ll let Coran know then. Let us know if you find anything.” Allura left before any of them could respond. Marmora fought her smile as she turned to the two men, excited about showing people her home – even if it no longer looked as she remembered – and to find out what happened to her brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm taking a bit of time away from writing right now. My grandpa just passed and we need to sort through everything to get the funeral arrangements made and all that fun stuff. I'll return once everything is sorted and my stress from this is lower than it currently is.  
> Thank you all for reading <3


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